


Prisoner of the Palace

by Wherever_Girl



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Gen, Post-Canon, creative liberties have been taken, mentions of abuse, mentions of sexual harassment/assault, no betas we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 39
Words: 55,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28112259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wherever_Girl/pseuds/Wherever_Girl
Summary: “So you wish for refuge; a place where no one can find you. Somewhere to hide from your problems…”“Yes,”“I see. You do realize that hiding away from the world will not lift the burden, don’t you? Many can flee to the other side of the world, but still be held prisoner by their hearts,”“I… I don’t quite understand. Please--- I just… I need somewhere to stay! A place that’s impossible to find!”“Very well.” The fortune-teller displayed the cards on the table. “Go into the woods beyond the field. Travel down the path far east, until you come to the broken down tree with white bark lying across the stream; on the first full moon of October, a path of stone will appear, lined with white roses tainted red; follow it to its very end, and take the path that leads north; a cat will show you where to go from there.”The runaway took a deep breath, but gave a firm nod. He thanked the soothsayer for his guidance, and prepared to leave the blue wagon.“A word of caution, before you go…” The seer spoke up once more. “When you find your refuge, do not drink the wine, lest you wish it to become your dungeon.”
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue: Arrival to the Castle

**Author's Note:**

> This sort of idea has been playing around in my mind for a while, and over the last few months I've taken to writing it out. To be honest, this isn't the first Persona 5 fic that had a medieval/fairytale AU, and I became inspired to try one of my own. It mainly takes place post-plot. 
> 
> When watching the scene where King Kamoshida is defeated, he brings up returning to "his true self", and that's an element that I decided to work with. What was he like before he became a villain? What caused him to turn into an abusive pervert? These are the questions that drove me to theorize. 
> 
> I also decided to challenge myself, making each chapter only 3-4 pages, just to see how many details I could squeeze in; it also helps me manage how much detail I should throw in (as I have a habit of making a wall of paragraphs with too much information, most of which is unnecessary). 
> 
> Also I apologize if I got some details wrong. For this, I request constructive criticism--- but please, PLEASE!, don't tell me what the story should be about. Nothing irritates a writer more than when someone tells them how the plot should go or what characters they should include or what the characters should say/do. We can all agree everyone has different ideas-- some may like them, some may cringe, some may just face-palm and wonder 'What the heck is wrong with this weirdo?', but so long as the comments are not being used to bash the story, that's fine. 
> 
> With that out of the way, I hope everyone enjoys what I have written thus far. 
> 
> Disclaimer: All Persona 5 characters (and upcoming cameos) belong to Atlus. I only own my own characters.

Nobuo Ronin took a deep breath as he looked up at the black iron gates that were firmly secured in the stone walls. All around there was nothing but fog, the trees around him having turned into eerie shadows, the woods so still it was as if he had stepped into a ghost story.

But this was not a tall tale created to startle others. This was real. He had pinched himself several times to make sure of that.

He looked behind him, back at the arching trees that seemed to form a gateway; the cat he had followed long disappeared. Beyond the trees the woods were dark and foggy, and he was afraid to go back.

It was not that Ronin was afraid of getting lost or eaten by wolves. He knew how to navigate using the stars, and the woods had been so still that he wondered if the creatures did not get a head start on settling in for winter, as the fall season had begun six weeks ago.

No, there was someone after him; someone who made dying in the woods sound like a blessing.

Someone he had wished he had escaped from years ago…

He turned back towards the gates, pulling his black hood over his dirty, sweat-matted blonde hair and hiding his pale face (as if worried there were some passerby who could spot him in this strange area) as he walked forth.

Preparing to muster his strength to pry open the gates, Ronin was surprised when the iron-barred doors swung open with ease… and startled him when they slammed shut behind him upon entrance! _The hinges must be loose,_ was the only excuse he could give to calm his nerves.

Walking up the stone walkway, he looked around and saw nothing but dead grass and withered bushes in the vast yard; fair enough, it was the fall season… though everything here seemed like it had been dead for years. Looking ahead he had to pause a beat; before him stood a tall structure, made with stone that stood as tall as the sky, with parapets, turrets, and balconies.

A palace.

But… what was a castle like this doing hidden in the woods? Was it a place of haunting, perhaps cursed? Ronin had heard plenty of tales of enchanted kingdoms, and as a child always dreamed of exploring domains with hidden passages filled with mythical beasts and magic… but now that he was older and standing right before such a [plausible] place, he was uncertain.

No, he had come this far; he wasn’t going to let his imagination make him turn back.

Gathering his courage, the young runaway walked up to the doorway; he wondered if he should knock, or if it even mattered. Did anyone even live here? _I guess I’ll find out if this place is empty, one way or another._ He thought, and knocked on the doors.

A minute passed, and there came no answer; Ronin then opened the doors, cringing as they made a low, echoing _creeeeaaaaak_ as he pushed them inward. Stepping inside, he looked around--- giving a jolt when the doors slammed shut behind him!--- and looked town the main hall.

“Hello?” the runaway called, his voice echoing down the corridors. “Does anybody live here?”

Receiving no answer, he gulped; he prayed that he had not wandered into a haunted castle and disturbed any wicked spirits, not really wishing to become an unfortunate victim in a folktale. Taking a breath, as he did before, he walked down the hall, looking around. It was too dark to see, the hall void of any windows. The most he could make out was a stairway up ahead, but other than that…

_“Who are you?!”_

“Augh!” Ronin screamed and backed away several paces; looking over, he noticed there was a connecting hallway… and stepping out of the shadows, holding a lit candelabra, stood a man. He was tall and masculine, with black hair and dark eyes; he wore a white shirt with black pants, a red sash around his waist; his expression was one full of suspicion and astonishment.

“I asked you a question, boy! Who are you… and how did you find this place?!” The man demanded, his voice strong and fierce.

“I-I…” Ronin paused to take a breath; it was just a man asking simple questions. No need to be afraid. “I am Nobuo Ronin… I have come to seek refuge in this castle. F-Forgive me, sir, I did not realize someone lived here!”

The man sneered. “You just _happened_ to come across it?”

“Yes,” It was a lie, but if he said anything more, he was afraid he would be cast out… and then where would he hide? “Please, allow me to stay here. I have no provisions left, and need a place to stay; I am willing to do chores in exchange for hospitality,”

The piercing gaze of the castle’s resident made his blood turn cold, so he was relieved when he said (with somewhat of a grousing tone), “I’ll give you a room for the night. But you are to leave in the morning, understand? This place is not meant for entertaining guests,”

“T-Thank you, sir! By what name might I call my host?”

The man scoffed. “What need do you have for my name? You will be gone in the morning, and I do not plan on speaking with you again. Now come along,”

 _What a grouch,_ Ronin thought as he followed the man up the stairs. Of course, to be fair, he would be cranky too if someone barged into _his_ home uninvited.

The halls were as dark as the rest of the castle. In the dim light of the candlestick, he could see paintings and statues, all being of the same thing--- either a brave knight in battle or a king with beautiful women. There were suits of armor, all black as midnight, lining the halls and gave him an eerie feeling—as if at any moment they could spring forth and attack.

He turned his eyes back on his host; he was so tall, and seemed so strong, Ronin couldn’t help but feel intimidated. The man let off a powerful aura of discipline and might, as if he would throw the traveler out if he so much as _sneezed_ wrong! From the way he walked and the way he kept his shoulders straight, the lad could easily guess the resident had a scowl on his face.

After turning down a corridor to the left, his host stopped at a door. “You may stay in this room. I suppose you would like nourishment after your travel?” His tone was polite, but there was a hint of cynicism to it; as if he had dealt with a slew of guests who expected fine cuisine upon visiting the castle.

Ronin shook his head. “I’m fine, sir. I’m much too tired to eat,” he replied, even though he had not eaten in nearly two days after entering the woods. But he was afraid to ask for refreshments, as his host already looked disgruntled just for having a guest.

“Very well. Get your rest, and I will fetch you in the morning,” The man turned to leave, only to pause and look back. “And do not leave your room. I don’t want some stranger prowling my domain in the middle of the night!”

His tone was sharp, and the traveler gave a shaky nod. “I don’t plan on going anywhere, you have my word on that.”

“Hmph. Words mean little, without action.” He began to close the door, clearing his throat. “Goodnight.”

“Good…” The door clicked shut before Ronin could finish. “…night,”

~*~

_The kingdom was in an uproar when his confessions were made, and in no time at all the mob had gathered. His knights turned against him as well, all ready to see his head on the guillotine._

_But death was too merciful for him, it was decided. Nor did they feel the dungeons were good enough._

_So he was banished, cast away and run out of the kingdom he had worked so hard to maintain, giving up the throne he had claimed and the title he had earned._

_Once upon a time, he had been a hero._

_Now, he could not deny he had become the villain._

_And it all happened when he had gone after a Romani girl he saw in the streets…_


	2. A Meal at Midnight

It was near midnight, and Ronin remained awake, pacing around the room. He had to think of a way to convince his host to allow him to stay more than one night! _Think, Nobuo, think! You’ve already made it this far, you can’t leave a safe haven now!_ The traveler told himself… even though he had doubts that staying in a mysterious palace with a bitter man was to be considered ‘safe’.

Alas, it was better than the place he had fled.

Ronin sighed and sat on the bed, falling backwards and flopping down on the mattress. It was soft and comfortable, the silk bedspread smooth and warm, and just by looking at the pillows one would know they would be well-fluffed and cozy to lay their head upon… but he could not bring himself to sleep. To sleep would mean to wake in the morning and be told to leave, and until he figured out a good reason for the castle’s resident to allow him to stay, he would not be ready for sleep.

Yet the bed was so warm, so comfortable; he had never slept in such a bed before, at least not that he could remember. Against his will, fatigue began to claim him…

…

*clink clink*

Ronin awoke to the sound, breaking free of his dose and looking around the room. “W-Who’s there…?” He gasped, but there came no answer.

His eyes then fell upon a tray near the door. Curiously, he walked over and lifted the covered lid, finding a hot leg of mutton, mashed potatoes with melted butter and gravy, a side of diced mixed vegetables, and a glass of wine all neatly prepared.

Mouth watering at the sight, it took all of the traveler’s strength not to give in to the meal just yet. Suppose it had been poisoned? There were plenty of tales of insidious hosts who murdered their guests, and either cannibalized them or kept parts of their bodies for a revolting collection. Then again, in those tales the host actually _welcomed_ visitors, putting up a façade to lure them into a sense of insecurity; his _host_ for the evening would probably poison someone just to get rid of them quicker!

A low growl rumbled in his stomach, and the traveler hunched over a bit; his starvation overpowered his suspicion, and decided to eat the food while it was still hot. _So what if I get poisoned? I’ve had to endure worse…_ Ronin thought, tearing off a piece of mutton with his teeth and stuffing a forkful of potatoes in his mouth next.

The meal was delicious, the best he had in ages; actually, he couldn’t recall when he ate this good! It actually felt nice getting to eat a full meal that he didn’t have to cook himself; it made the idea of leaving even more distressing.

If Kira could see him now, she would have a roaring fit…

Ronin shook his head. _Focus on the meal, not her._ He thought, and continued to enjoy the food, having to pace himself so not to risk getting sick. He was down to the bone by the time he realized he had yet to take a drink!

Picking up the goblet, he paused; looking into the wine, he saw his reflection… but in it, he felt he saw a girl instead--- looking afraid, wearing a white gown, sobbing her eyes out as she ran...

He shook his head and looked again, finding nothing but wine, his reflection staring back at him. _I’m probably just imagining things,_ the traveler told himself, blaming the trick of the eyes on his lack of sleep. Sipping the wine, he found it had a sweet tang, and found himself draining the goblet; afterwards he hacked, the bitter aftertaste kicking in. He ate the remaining food left on his plate to get the rancid flavor out of his mouth.

Wiping his mouth, his stomach full, he let out a satisfied sigh, fatigue coming over him heavier than earlier. There was no point trying to stay awake to figure out a turn of phrase to extend his accommodation; he would just have to figure out something in the morning. Lying down in the bed, settling beneath the blankets, he allowed himself to drift to sleep.

~*~

*Knock knock knock*

*Creeaaaak*

“Wake up. It’s morning,”

Ronin groaned, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes; he looked towards the window, finding the skies were still dark blue and cloudy, not a hint of sunlight to be seen. He turned, seeing his host standing at his bedside, hands on hips, looking as if he were mentally willing his unwanted guest to hurry up and get out of bed.

As the traveler pulled the blankets back and climbed out, he noticed the dinner trolley was gone, the aroma of the meal having disappeared as if it never existed; he began to wonder if he only dreamed of eating.

“It’s awful early,” Ronin commented, as he followed his host out of the room.

“If you wanted to sleep in, you should have given a specific wake-up call.” Huffed the man, leading him down the stairs where they went down the main hall, taking a left after forty paces and entering a dining room. On the table was a breakfast spread--- pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast, oatmeal, slices of fruit, three kinds of juice, coffee, tea and milk. “Help yourself, and meet me outside in an hour.”

The traveler looked up at him. “Are you not going to eat?”

“I prefer to eat in my room. Now hurry up, before it gets cold,” With that, the man walked out.

Ronin frowned a bit, but decided not to urge his host to partake in breakfast. Perhaps he could clearly contemplate how to persuade him into allowing the lad to stay a while, now that he had gotten his rest and had a hot breakfast before him.

After two pancakes, some eggs, three slices of bacon, and a glass of orange juice, he had to admit persuasion was not an option he could use. He had neither sharp wit nor silver tongue that could convince his host, or anyone for that matter, to allow him to reside in their domain for as long as he pleased! He could attempt to bargain, but a poor commoner like himself had nothing to exchange with a man who lived in a castle, and it was clear his host had no need nor want for his company.

The traveler sighed; his best bet would probably be to ask the man if he knew any places beyond the castle he could go, and try to start a new life in a new village, or go for broke and live a quiet life in the mountains.

He stood up, feeling his appetite diminish after his contemplation; looking at the table and all around the dining room, he noticed there was an absence of servants. From what he had read in books and heard in the streets, people who lived in castles had a surplus of staff who prepared meals, cleaned rooms, did the laundry, tended the gardens, and all other kinds of chores!

Ronin walked out of the room and down the corridor; even the hallways were void of servants, and it just came to his attention there were no guards around. It gave him a slight chill, having the idea that he and the man were the only ones inside the castle, wondering how anyone could live alone in such a large domain.

Not that he had a right to judge, considering his circumstances.

He stepped outside; the morning was starting to grow bright, but the skies remained gray due to the cloud cover. Beyond the iron fence, he could only see fog. The traveler shifted, wishing to explore more of the yard, to see what kind of gardens grew here… or used to.

The door behind him creaked, and the man stepped out. “Oh good, you were waiting.” He said, though his face showed no enthusiasm.

 _I see no reason to, considering you just want me to leave._ Ronin wanted to respond, but held his tongue; instead, he gave a nod. He prepared to walk forth, but the man held his arm out. “What is it?”

“Hold up your arms,”

“Er… alright…” Doing so, the traveler flinched and held in a giggle as the man patted his sides, checking his pockets! “W-What are you doing??”

“…My apologies. You do understand the precaution I had to take, considering I allowed a stranger into my palace,”

“I-I see… I take it you’ve dealt with thieves?”

For a moment the man paused, his shoulders tense; taking a deep breath, he responded with, “You could say that. But you worry about thieves on the road, and I’ll worry about my own affairs.”

Ronin looked to the ground, feeling slightly ashamed for having asked. He decided to change the subject, and quick before they reached the gates. “Do you know a place I can go from here? Preferably northeast,”

“Northeast? I would not know, there’s nothing but forest for the next hundreds of miles in that direction, as far as I can tell. The only place I know is the Shujin village, located in the west.”

 _The west?_ The traveler thought with unease. He had just come from that direction, and did not want to risk crossing any unwanted paths. “Is that the only place nearby?”

The man gave him a look. “It’s either there or the woods. Do you want me to fetch you a map?” his tone was on the impatient side, as he crossed his arms.

Ronin shook his head. “No, it’s alright. I’ll just go through the woods, no harm in a little explor---“

He tried to go through the gates, but they remained shut! He tried pulling and pushing, but what once felt loose enough to swing freely now felt stiff as if rusted for a hundred years! He looked at the man, who walked over with a confused glance. Trying harder, Ronin put his shoulder against the gate, and then tried to pull with all his might, yet it still wouldn’t budge!

He gulped. “I-I suppose it’s stuck… I’ll try squeezing through the bars!” he stammered, feeling uncomfortable as the man watched him. Yet when he so much as tried to stick his hand between the bars, he felt like something was pushing back--- as if there were an invisible wall there. “What the…?”

Ronin gasped, watching as out of nowhere, giant black sparkling stones shot up from the ground, sealing the gate! He stumbled back, falling on his rear as he looked at the blockade.

The man merely inhaled deeply, and from the look on his face the traveler could tell he was not at all pleased with the situation. “Answer me this…” he spoke, his tone calm but rimmed with anger. “Did you, by any means, drink a cup of wine upon coming here?”

The lad trembled, gulping a bit. “Y… Yes… didn’t… didn’t you leave a meal for me last ni---?”

“IDIOT!” The man bellowed, looming over him. “I gave you nothing! It was clearly a trap!”

“A-A-A trap?! What do you mean?”

The man seethed, rubbing his face. “To put it in layman terms… you’re stuck here. Forever!”


	3. The Servitude Bargain

_He had started out as a soldier, the strongest in his unit said most. He had the cunning of a fox, able to deploy tactics that would gain the upper hand in battle and either force enemies to surrender or retreat. With his elite skills in combat, he was soon promoted to be part of the king’s royal guard; shortly after, the king’s official bodyguard._

_The king had no heir, claiming the Lord left him barren; yet he took a shine to the young knight, claiming he carried himself as well as any prince. When the king grew old and eventually infirmed, he insisted his bodyguard take his place on the throne, for he was the closest to a son that he would ever have._

_The council agreed, knowing how loyal the knight had been to the kingdom. The citizens cheered, for to them he was a hero who would protect them. He was practically begged to become their ruler!_

_So he accepted the title…_

_And things got out of control from there._

_He felt smothered; people wanted to get close to him, whether to assassinate him or get some royal benefits. Guards would insist upon him training new recruits, women throwing themselves at him to be the new queen! Had a war broke out during his reign, he would surely have collapsed…_

_But he refused to acknowledge that fact. He was a king now, and he had been---and still was--- a mighty warrior who worked too damn hard to become undefeatable. He wasn’t going to let a little stress break his will. No, all he needed was a bit of leisure from time to time, a ‘reward’ if you will, for all he had to put up with._

_Perhaps… that is when he lost himself._

~*~

“W… What do you mean ‘forever’?” Ronin stammered, hoping he had heard wrong.

The man sighed heavily; it looked as if he were trying to cool his head. “The wine here is cursed… whosoever drinks it becomes a prisoner of this domain.” He explained, resting a palm on his forehead. “To be honest, I did not think it would affect one so young… and what in the hell gave you the idea to drink alcohol at such a young age anyway?!”

“I-I’m old enough to drink! …What I want to know is, if you’re not the one who gave me the food, who could have done it? Is this castle haunted? Owned by a wicked enchantress?”

“Tch. Clearly you’ve read too many fairytales… but it matters not. The fact remains you are a prisoner of this place, and cannot leave.” The man began to pace, as if deep in thought; after a full minute of silence, he turned to his guest. “Why exactly did you come here? It is no coincidence that you are just a traveler who lost his way,”

Ronin gulped; he had to be careful. He did not want to say too much… “I… I was searching for a safe place to stay. I ran away from home, and someone gave me directions to this place.”

“Who?”

“I-I don’t know… an old man who had parked his wagon by the road?”

“Is that an answer or a guess?!”

The lad trembled. “A-A-An answer! It’s my answer, sir!” He swallowed, sweat dripping down his face as he felt the need to ask his own question. “But… I thought you lived here--- are you a prisoner as well?”

The man huffed, crossing his arms. “Never mind. As I’ve said before, it does not matter now.” He looked at his ‘guest’, a coldness in his eyes. “The question now is what I should do with you…”

Ronin got on his knees, begging. “Oh, please sir! Forgive me, for I did not know! In order to pay off my debt… I shall… I shall be your servant! For the time I am here, I shall work for you--- cleaning, cooking, fetching, anything you wish of me! Just please spare my life!”

“Spare your l…? *sigh* You really are a fool, aren’t you?” The man rubbed his left temple, looking at the lad; such a pathetic piece of work, he told himself. “…Very well. Come inside, and we shall discuss your ‘servitude’,”

Ronin got to his feet, following the man inside. They walked through the corridors, passing by the lounge--- a large room with a tall bookcase, a fireplace, a chair, and a couch; they walked by the dining room again, and to the lad’s surprise the table had been cleared! He turned to ask the man what happened, but saw he was turning down another hall, and the servant decided it would be best not to ask questions at this time.

The man led him to a room--- the servant’s quarters, it appeared to be, for it was just a single room with a smaller bed, less impressive blankets, and little decoration outside of a small painting, night stand and candelabra. “This will be where you sleep from now on. At the end of the hall is a closet full of cleaning supplies. I expect you to be awake before dawn to use them,”

“Y-Yes, sir,”

“Hm.” The man motioned him to follow him. “I will not put you to work yet; for today, I shall show you around the castle. There are rules we need to go over,”

Ronin nodded, following him.

…

The castle was massive, and the servant was doing his best to recall where everything was located. The kitchen, wash room, and dining room were located on the west side of the ground floor, and a lounge located on the east side; to the north there were a set of double-doors that led to a ballroom, though it was clear that area was seldom used.

Guest rooms were on the second and third floors, up to fifteen on each side of the hall Ronin counted; the fourth floor had a recreation room on the south side of the hall, and a study on the north side; the gardens were located out back, he could see through a window; and on the fifth floor was where the master bedroom was, located down a long corridor beyond a set of large double-doors.

There was a door located on the south side of the top floor, which appeared to be locked; two golden suits of armor stood by it. “This door is one you are not allowed to open.” The man told him, his tone firm. “It is where I keep some personal possessions--- and if you so much as lay a hand on the doorknob, you shall sleep outside! I do not need to worry about enforcing that warning, do I?”

“No sir. I shall avoid the door like the plague,” Ronin stammered.

“Good. …It has grown dark out, I suggest you return to your new room.” With that, the man led him back down to the servant’s quarters.

“…Sir? Now that I’ll be staying here f-for a while… might I address you by your name?” The lad felt the need to ask.

The man paused, contemplating; he gave a nod. “Very well. Being referred to as ‘sir’ all the time will get tiring,” he turned to his servant, giving him a stern look. “You may call me… ‘Master’.”


	4. A Breakfast Trip

‘Master’.

What the hell was he thinking, asking a stranger to call him that?

But at the same time, he felt it fit well--- it left a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, but it was not his intention to be referred to by his name. Such formalities did not seem suited for him. Not anymore.

The young man seemed comfortable with addressing him as such--- he was both nervous and relieved, as if he were worried his ‘host’ was not willing to go through with the offer. He wasn’t, of course, but it was clear the boy had been tricked.

He sneered, having a good idea about who pulled such a trick…

But he would not tell him of his suspicions. No, that would involve having to share his whole story...

It had been over a year, and his regrets were still too fresh. The pain was bad enough when he first confessed to everything, to tell it all to a total stranger put too much strain on his heart.

A bitter, cold wind blew through the window. “Enough,” he sneered, as if talking to the elements. He shut the window and locked it; no surprise, the window just opened again, letting in a harsh wind. He groused, then walked over to his desk and sat down.

He put his face in his hands. _What is to become of all this?_

~*~

Three weeks had passed since Ronin began his servitude, and he was still adjusting to his routine.

For instance, whenever he went to begin his chores, he felt as if someone had finished the task he was about to perform. When he went to dust, he was surprised to find not a speck could be found on any shelf, banister, or statue; the floors shined, showing his reflection clearly, looking neatly swept, mopped and waxed; the laundry was always washed and folded before he could even pick up the basket; and the windows didn’t have a single smudge anywhere!

Going out to the gardens, he decided he could clean out any dead weeds or prune any dead branches, at least that way when something did grow it would have a clean environment… but by the time he grabbed a rake, he noticed there was not even a dried up leaf to be found!

 _Is the castle cleaning itself, by chance?_ Ronin wondered, as he polished the window frames, feeling he had to do _something_ in order to not look like a lazy bum. Self-cleaning castle or not, he was not about to go back on his word as a servant!

A meal was always left for him in the kitchen as well. He ignored it, deciding to just make his own refreshments, no longer trusting any tray that just so happened to be prepared for him, lest he suffer some other curse. He discarded the pre-made dish and ate his own, and quickly washed the dishes before the ‘invisible help’ could beat him to it.

One day, his master came into the kitchen while the lad was washing dishes. “Oh! G-Good morning, Master. Is there something you need?” Ronin asked, giving a formal bow.

The man scoffed at his action, but waved him away. “I only came down here for a drink. Continue your duties,” he replied, going to the ice-box and retrieving a bottle of milk.

“Yes, sir.” Ronin went back to his chore, though felt uneasy standing in the room with the man. Sweat began to form on his head, worried that at any moment his superior would find something wrong with his performance and lash out…

“Why on earth are you washing _two_ plates?”

“Eep!” Ronin gave a jolt, turning around. His master was right behind him! “I… um… see, every time I come in for a meal, I always find food set out for me. A-After what had happened before, well… I-I felt it would be better to discard it and prepare my own food.”

The man crossed his arms. “So you just throw it away?”

The servant gulped. “I-I’m sorry, sir! It did not occur to me that I may be wasting resources! It’s just…!”

“Hold your breath. You do not need to worry about such things. …However, since you are intent on preparing meals by hand, I would like to ask you to do the same for me. I prepare my meals by hand as well, but it gets tiring taking them up to my room; from now on, an hour before you prepare to eat, I request you prepare me something.”

Ronin looked at him, mildly surprised. “Sir…?”

“I can tell you need more to do. So there’s a new task for you. …Or are you tiring of your servitude already?”

“N-No, master! T-Thank you for the request! I shall prepare your lunch right away!”

“Make it a late breakfast… I slept in this morning. I expect it in my room soon,”

“Er, yes sir… w-what would you like?”

“Just an omelet, a bowl of oatmeal, toast, and a cup of coffee. That will be it,”

“V-Very good, sir.”

The man let out a sigh of mild aggravation, before leaving the kitchen. Without hesitation, Ronin got to work on preparing his master’s breakfast.

He was no stranger to cooking early morning meals, but his anxiety was spiked; he had to get this _perfect,_ otherwise the man who allowed him refuge (…by means of an outside force, that is…) would see him as an inept servant. The guest had said he would earn his stay, he had to live up to his word! He had to show he was upholding his end of the deal through actions!

Once he burned the eggs and had to start over, and added too much milk to the oatmeal. _Calm down… I have to calm down! It’s just breakfast, not a bloody banquet!_ Ronin had to tell himself, so not to risk another mistake.

Preparing everything step by step, he managed to arrange a decent, well-cooked breakfast onto a tray. He paused a bit, deciding to add something. Grabbing a piece of paper and a pen, he wrote _‘Thank You’_ in perfect penmanship, decorating the paper with an elegant border (at the best of his ability), in order to show his appreciation to the man.

Once everything was set up, he carried the tray up the stairs; suddenly he wished his master’s room was not so many floors up, or that there was a secret passage that would provide a shortcut! But he had no time to neither look around nor gripe, as he had already wasted enough time making flukes with the meal, and his master was no doubt growing impatient!

He had to tread carefully as well; he had to make sure nothing on the tray spilled or slopped, while keeping a firm hold on the handles. The tray was a tad heavy, and he had to shift his arms in order to keep them from growing too tired, often setting it down when his palms were getting too slick with sweat.

After twenty minutes, Ronin made it to his master’s corridor, walking down the hall to his room. He took a deep breath and knocked, while using his knee to keep the tray balanced. “Come in,” came his master’s voice.

The servant used his elbow to push on the handle and nudge the door open, walking into the room. “Here’s your breakfast, master.” He announced.

“It’s about time. I was worried you were burning down the kitchen,” The man answered, though his tone was not as irritable as before. That was a good sign.

Ronin let out a relieved sigh, walking forth.

And then he tripped.


	5. Nerves

_“You stupid wretch, look at the mess you have made! Can’t you do anything right?!”_

_“If you can’t even do this one simple task, why are you even alive?”_

_“Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.”_

Those sentences echoed through Ronin’s mind as he watched the tray fall from his hands; the whole world seemed to slow down, as he reached in a feeble attempt to catch it, but it hit the floor with a deafening _clang!,_ the oatmeal splattering all over, the toast and omelet getting squashed by the lid, and the coffee spilling and staining the note of gratitude he had written.

The man looked at him, staring at the mess.

The lad could hear his heart pounding in his chest; frantic, he turned the tray upright and began to gather the spilled dishes. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Oh, no…” he stammered, his voice turning into a whimper. “M-My foot caught on the rug, and… dammit… F-Forgive me, I’ll go back down a-and make you a new tray! I just… oh, shit…!”

The servant began to hyperventilate, trembling as he picked up everything. When he looked at the stained carpet, he began to tear up and his hands began to shake. In the reflection of the tray, he could see his pitiful expression…

Ronin covered his face, beginning to sob. _Dammit! Why can’t I do anything simple?! I’m such a damn fool!_ He thought. Silence hung in the room, and he dared not look up--- he knew from experience that the worst kind of anger brewed in quiet, and he mentally braced himself for a lashing.

There came tiny _clinks_ and _clanks,_ and he saw that the man was helping pick up the mess! “Now really, there is no reason to cry over a spilled tray,” the master scoffed. He then reached and rested a hand on his shoulder. “Accidents will happen… honestly, I blame that damn rug. I’ve nearly broken my neck because of it; I keep forgetting to move it,”

The servant looked at his master, bewildered. He was actually… calm?! “B… But, master…”

“No ‘buts’. I am not going to let you beat yourself up over a little mess. My question is, why didn’t you just send it up in the dumbwaiter?” The man nodded over to the little door in the wall.

Ronin gawked, and mentally kicked himself. “I-I never noticed that! I should have known…”

The man patted him on the shoulder. “I said no beating yourself up. Now, stand up, and let us go to the kitchen. It will be late in the morning if you cooked again, and to be frank I am better off with just a cup of coffee for the time being.”

“O-Okay…” The servant stood up, only to gasp and kneel back down. He lifted his pantleg, finding that during his fall he had sprained his ankle!

His master noticed immediately. “Come with me, we should handle your ankle, first.” He helped him stand, wrapping an arm around his waist so to keep weight off the sprained ankle, helping him walk.

Ronin looked back at the mess. “W-What about…?”

“Do not worry about it. It will be taken care of in time,” The man assured, leading him out of the room.

The servant remained quiet after that, save for a couple hisses of pain whenever weight shifted onto his bad ankle. His master was very careful, walking at an even pace with him and helping him keep balanced; he led the lad over to a chair in the hallway, having him sit down. Rolling up his pantleg a bit more and taking off his shoe and sock, the man examined the sprain thoroughly.

“It is swollen, but I doubt it is too serious. I recommend staying off it for two days, in order to help it to heal. If you put too much pressure on it, you could break it.” His master advised. “I will take you back to your room, you will need to soak it in ice water to ease the swelling,”

“W-What about my chores? Surely---“ Ronin began to ask.

“The castle will not go to pieces just because I put you on rest. Of course, that will mean we will have to eat those ‘mysterious meals’ that appear for us until you recover, but you will be cooking again before long.”

“A-Alright…”

“And quit stammering so much! You sound like a virgin conversing with a naked whore,”

Ronin blushed. “Master!”

The man laughed. “I suppose you believe that just because I live in a palace, I am supposed to sound refined? This is not a place of formalities, Ronin; it is just you and I dwelling here. We have no one to impress, no images to uphold, and therefore have no reason to hold back from making vulgar remarks.”

The servant rubbed the back of his neck, feeling flustered about the idea of sharing dirty jokes or saying rude things to a man whom he referred to as _master._ It also deemed impossible for him not to stammer; not solely for the fact that the man still seemed intimidating, but mainly because it was a response he had grown up with throughout his childhood.

“Come along,” His master stated, helping him up.

“Er, thank you sir, but…” Ronin began, while trying hard not to stutter in his words. “How are we going to get down the stairs?”

“Hmm, well, there are two options.” They stopped at the top of the stairs. “Either I set you on the banister and have you slide down like some uncultured riffraff, or stuff you in the dumbwaiter and lower you down,”

The servant arched an eyebrow. “Would I really fit---“

“I am being _sarcastic_ , you twit.” The man bent down, and in a swift motion lifted him up!

“Gah! M-Master---!”

“Hush,” Keeping his balance, the man carried his servant down the stairs. “Dear Lord, you are a lightweight. How often do you eat, once a month?”

“I have a fast metabolism, sir…” Ronin answered, though felt awkward. His master’s arms were so strong, and he himself felt so small.

“I do as well, yet I do not share the same figure as a twig. Perhaps you will gain weight during your resting period,”

The servant nodded, but focused more on being held. The way the man carried him made him feel like a sack of flour rather than a person, as if taking him to his room was a chore for his master rather than a favor.

They walked down the halls, and Ronin looked at the portraits once more. They seemed different; the Knight was being dubbed by a king, and stood beside the king in the next frame; in the third, the Knight was now seated on the throne, no longer in a golden suit of armor but in a robe and crown, looking much older…

Windows passed through his line of vision next, as he got a glimpse of the outside. The skies were still filled with clouds, as they had been for the last several days since he had first arrived; he noticed how tall the wall was, almost two stories high, with iron spikes along the top; there were no birds flying in the air, reminding him of how still the woods had grown since he walked down the secret path, a single feline being the only source of wildlife to be seen.

The portraits returned, these ones familiar; the Knight fighting victoriously in battle in one frame, and surrounded by beautiful women in the next; Ronin’s eyes widened and he blushed a bit, finding that in one picture the Knight was in bed with a woman, lavishing her in a passionate embrace, her bosom and thighs hardly covered by a sheet.

The rest of the portraits were similar, as if painted by an artist who very much marveled at the human body; the servant closed his eyes, feeling uncomfortable at seeing such explicit artwork. A side of him wished to boldly ask his master why such portraits were decorating the halls, yet the rational side of him did not want to ask such a personal question. Plus, many monarchs had sculptures and paintings that involved nudity set up in their domains. Artists created such things just to show the beauty of the skin, as a means to say there was no reason to be so shy about it.

But these were not like that. They all involved the same man…

Having the courage to open his eyes, Ronin saw one more portrait; in this one, the Knight seemed fierce, his expression serious as he stared down at an opponent.

It was then the servant realized the Knight looked just like…

“Here we are,” His master spoke, reaching his bedroom door and taking him inside.


	6. The Phantom Thieves of Hearts

_I wonder what his story is._

Ronin found himself asking that as he stood at the bottom of the steps above the main hall, looking at the portrait that hung above the landing; this one was of only the Knight, his expression bold and serious, long black hair reaching down to his shoulders. There was no doubt in his mind that this was his master. He had been so focused on being a good servant that he did not give the castle’s décor much thought.

He did not ask his master about them, though; if he wanted to tell his servant about his life, he would. But it was clear the man wanted to keep his personal life to himself, and Ronin was no different. Neither of them prodded into the other’s affairs, and that was how they preferred it.

A clock chimed ten times, signifying how late it was. The servant was to be in bed, but could not bring himself to sleep. His master had given him a crutch to use to keep weight off his ankle whenever he had to walk somewhere, strictly advising he stay on the first floor until his sprain was fully healed.

Ronin walked back to his room, his crutch making a soft _tap_ with every step, the sound echoing down the hall. The castle was dark and quiet, giving one chills down the spine. But he had grown used to it, even to a point where he could walk down the hall without the use of candlelight, instead allowing his eyes to adjust to the dark, relying on moonlight that would pierce the cloud cover and shone through the windows.

It did not startle him too much to walk the long, dark corridors alone. He was well aware that the palace was enchanted somehow, yet no maleficent forces seemed to be at work. In a way, he could sense a calm atmosphere around the domain… not quite a comforting kind, but calm nonetheless.

He looked out a window, letting out a breath. The last time he had wandered down a hall at night he had been in peril, moving quietly and having had to memorize the location of every creaking floorboard, too filled with panic to even breathe.

He shook his head, turning and continuing on his way back to his room. Once inside, he lied down on the bed, propping his foot up on a pillow. He rested a cool washcloth around his ankle; it was feeling better quicker than he had realized, only mildly sore. Still, he had one more day to rest, and was intent on carrying out his master’s order.

Not quite sleepy yet, Ronin lit the candle at his bedside and grabbed his satchel. Outside of a spare pair of trousers and food (which had long been eaten before he learned of the castle), he had packed a book. It was a new tale, based on a true story said most.

_The Phantom Thieves of Hearts._

He sighed as he looked at it. The leather bound cover was beaten, making it difficult to clearly see the mask-like image printed upon it; a few pages had been torn out as well, some stained with mud and smudging many of the pictures and paragraphs. But he could still make out some of the tales, and often imagined how they ended; given the ending of the book, he felt it was all the same.

The Phantom Thieves, as they were called, were a band of renegades who came together to rid their land of tyranny and corruption. How and why, he did not fully know (for the first chapter had been ripped out), but the prologue had given him an idea…

The leader of the thieves, called ‘Joker’, had been blamed for a crime committed by a nobleman, who had him banished out of his kingdom. With help from a fortune teller, Joker managed to gather a troop of others who had been falsely accused, defaced and cheated by higher authorities, including:

Skull, who was once a soldier but became a pirate after his comrades turned against him.

Panther, a beautiful Romani who had been accused of being a whore.

Fox, a young artist who lost credit for his work because of his master.

Queen, a soldier in training whose elder sister was working with a corrupt system.

Noir, a beautiful heiress whose father was driven with greed.

Oracle, a poor orphan who had been abused by her uncle and taken in by a kind shopkeeper, but was afraid to face the world.

Mona, a master lock-pick and treasure hunter… who was also appeared to be a feline.

And Crow, who came to aid the Thieves… but the rest of the pages about him were smudged or torn.

Together, they stood up against the corrupt officials, and had them confess to the crimes they had committed. The tale ended with the Thieves learning that the fortune teller had been pulling strings all along, actually being a wicked being out to destroy mankind; the true fortune teller, however, had appeared to Joker and helped him find a way to defeat their enemy. When it was all over, Joker was free to return home.

Those were the details Ronin could best remember, and he so dearly wished his book was not tattered so that he could read the entire story. _They say the Phantom Thieves are still out there, yet to this day no one knows who they really are._ He thought, closing the book. He was told that, throughout the year of their missions, people had speculated about who they might be, starting rumors and often accusing others, but none could place a proper description nor motive. Why, even the pictures--- all black and white, with red being the only spot of color--- did not give a proper idea on who they could be, as if the masks they wore had a magic that helped conceal their identities!

As for the stories behind the characters, the author stated they were inspired by rumors they had heard, while claiming there was a chance that Joker had been the one who died rather than Crow, or that he had turned on his fellow thieves and revealed their identities, having them locked away so that he would not have to share the treasures they had stolen. Many a shopkeeper had been interrogated, even an apothecary who was accused of giving the thieves magic potions, but there was no evidence to prove them guilty.

With so many tales being told, people gave up on trying to figure out the identity of the thieves; some even speculated that it was all folktales and make-believe, that the Phantom Thieves did not exist, or were just a cover to hide the real truth.

Kira claimed it was all nonsense, and thus tore out several pages of the book before throwing it in the mud, telling him to stop wasting his time reading ‘fairytales’.

Ronin sneered, putting the book back in his satchel. He drew in a deep breath, letting it out slow. If it were not for Kira, perhaps he would have a bit more spirit during his stay here.

Hell, if the wretch had left him be, perhaps he would never have come here in the first place.

 _Then again,_ the servant thought to himself. _This place is much more comfortable than the one I had left, without a doubt._ He looked around the room; despite it was quite humble, it had much more charm than his old one…

“Ah!” Ronin gasped, looking at the portrait across from his bed.

In the portrait, there had been a picture of a castle… but now it was of a child, sitting by a grave and sobbing.

The servant rubbed his eyes, believing he was seeing things, but the portrait was still there when he looked again. His breathing turned rapid, and he approached the picture. _How?_

Quickly, he left the room, forgetting his crutch and running down the hall. He looked at all the portraits lining the hall, horrified to watch them change from images of the Knight to images of the crying child.

 _No… no please! Do not show me these pictures!_ He thought gripping his head as he ran down the hall, keeping his eyes shut.

“Ronin!”

The servant gasped, his eyes popping open when he heard his master’s voice; the man was standing near a large portrait of the child sitting on a front porch as a man spoke, both of them with a look of grief on their faces; his master was looking at him, his expression hard to read in the dark. “Master…” the lad whispered, starting to tremble.

His master approached him. “Care to explain _this?”_


	7. Behind Every Picture There Is A Story

_The soldier before him was a sorry excuse for a recruit. To him, such a scrawny wretch was not even strong enough to become a haberdasher, let alone a member of the royal guard! Yet the lad wished to train and prove his worth._

_Well, the King wanted to personally see how much he could endure, telling him that they could train together in private. He did not hold back for a moment, giving the boy so many cuts and bruises that he looked as if he had barely survived a war! The King criticized his efforts, claiming he was weak, and if he wanted to remain a soldier he would have to learn to fight like one!_

_Every day, the King would call upon him for ‘private training’ in order to see how he ‘improved’. The guards all turned a blind eye, as he expected them to. They knew their King did not tolerate weakness, and enjoyed showing his superiority to those he deemed pathetic, claiming he was just ‘testing their strength and loyalty’._

_There was one other soldier in his ranks. A female. She was a strong one, one of the best in the unit said most… but her confidence was shallow, and the King used that to his advantage as well._

_The only soldier who saw through him was the rebellious one. He broke his leg as a warning and then stripped him of his title as a guard, yet the stubborn fool continued to berate him even from the streets. He was the first one to accuse the King of abusing his power… so the monarch sentenced him to be executed, alongside that frail soldier, and a stranger accused of being a bandit._

_But little did he know the bandit had a trick up his sleeve…_

~*~

Ronin let out a quiet sigh of relief, when he saw his master hold up a piece of paper; however, once he saw what it was, his nerves crept up on him. It was the _Thank You_ note he had made the other day! “I don’t understand… I thought it was ruined!” he gasped.

“So you _did_ write this,” His master confirmed.

“Yes, sir…” the servant intertwined his hands, suddenly embarrassed. “I had left it with your breakfast the other morning. You have been so patient with me that… I wanted to express my gratitude, somehow.”

“I see. …I suppose you were too shy to just say it to my face?”

“No, sir! I felt that a handwritten note would suffice. You did say words are cheap without action… so I took the action of writing them on a piece of paper,”

His master chuckled. “Words are still words even on paper, Ronin.” He looked at the note again. “However, I must say this is some fine penmanship, and I see you even took time to decorate the border. Most folks would just buy a card rather than write something themselves, so I will give you some credit. But there is nothing for you to thank me for,”

“But there is!” Ronin stepped up to him when his master turned to leave; the man looked at him in curiosity. “I came here, a stranger in search of refuge; when I made a fluke that prevented me from leaving, you gave me a position to uphold despite the aggravation you felt. You did not scold me when I botched the task of bringing you your breakfast, you did not even raise your voice! Instead, you… you came to my aid. I have never heard of someone who treated their servant with such kindness,”

His master let out a heavy sigh. “You really believe I am kind?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Hm.” He shook his head. “A high status does not give someone a reason to be inconsiderate of others. Servants are to abide by their master’s word, that much is true, but a master is also told to treat his servants well. Any man of the church would tell you that. Do not act like anyone else would not do the same if they were in my place,”

Ronin looked to the ground. “I’m… not sure they would.”

His master arched an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”

The servant shook his head. “There are just people out there who turn a blind eye is all. …By the way, master, why are you awake at this hour?”

“Ha! I was about to ask the same of you. I could not sleep, so I was going to the kitchen for a late night snack. When I went in… I found this on the tray you had dropped.” He handed him the note. “I was on my way to your quarters to ask you about it, when I saw that you were already running down the hall. …Speaking of which, why on earth were you running?! You shouldn’t even be standing on your sprained ankle!”

Thus the servant remembered the cause for his alarm. “I… I forgot my crutch… I ran out of my room in haste. There was a portrait hanging on the wall that had not been there before!”

“Show me,”

Ronin led him back to his room, pointing at the wall. “It’s right--- huh?”

The portrait hung there, but instead it was of the castle again!

The man looked at the picture; for a moment, there was a sad look in his eye. “Is this it?”

“Er, it looked different sir… a-and the portraits in the hallways even changed when I ran by them!” Ronin sputtered. He looked at his master. “Master… is this palace haunted?”

His master shook his head. “It is only haunted by the memories of those who live here.”

Ronin cocked his head. “How do you mean?”

“I believe it is self explanatory. But nonetheless, it is late, and we should both be in bed.” The man turned to leave. “Goodnight,”

Ronin looked at the portrait, gulping. “Sir, wait… after seeing that picture appear, I have no desire to sleep. Please, might I stay with you for the night?”

The man looked at him, his eyes wide. “Stay with me?”

“Y-Yes master, please. It would bring me comfort to fall asleep knowing you are nearby.”

His master rubbed his face, looking quite annoyed. “Very well… but only because I don’t want to hear you running screaming down the halls about some ghost!”

The servant let out a relieved sigh. He followed his master out the door; on the way out, the picture changed back to the child and the grave; he shivered and stayed close to the man.

They went to the kitchen first, finding there was tea and finger sandwiches prepared for them on the tray. Not exactly wanting to stay up late preparing their own late night snacks, they decided to accept the refreshments from their invisible caterer, and walked to the lounge.

 _So, these portraits are based off memories,_ Ronin thought as they walked down the halls. Despite this new information, he decided not to ask of them. There was the chance his master had seen the ones from his memory, but as always neither of them decided to prod.

Sitting down by a fireplace, his master walked over and grabbed a book. “Do you read?” he asked the lad.

“Yes, of course! I love to read…” Ronin answered, a bit excited when he saw the large bookcase that held many novels.

“Go ahead and pick a book. It will help calm your nerves,”

“Thank you, master!” Hurrying over, the servant browsed the shelf. He found one called _Pirate Legend,_ and could not keep from grinning. He was a big fan of pirate tales, for more than one reason…

He sat down on the rug, reading the book; he only ate one sandwich and seldom took a sip of his tea, too engrossed in the story. His eyes began to droop after twenty more pages, fatigue coming over him, and he drifted to sleep by the fireplace.

The last thing he heard was his master giving a soft chuckle.


	8. To Catch a Cat

When Ronin woke up the following morning, he was surprised to find himself covered by a blanket and laying on a couch in the lounge. He sat up, looking around for a moment; the fireplace was lit, giving the room tender warmth. He slipped off the couch, folding the blanket and carrying it with him as he walked out.

Down the hall his master stood, looking out the window; a cup of coffee was in his hand, still fresh as steam was rising from it. “Slept in, I see.” The man said in greeting, eyes still gazing outside. His tone was casual, which gave the servant reassurance that he was not in for a scolding. “Not that I did not expect otherwise; you were up most of the night reading,”

“It’s quite a good story, I couldn’t put it down,” Ronin answered, running a hand through his blonde hair as he held back a yawn. “I will have to finish it during my break,”

“How does your ankle feel?”

“Better,” The lad wagged his foot back and forth, his ankle feeling no pain in the slightest. “Quite amazing, really--- it feels as if it had never been sprained at all!”

“Good. Now, go get some coffee; you can make your own breakfast, then get to work,”

“Yes, sir. …Um, where should I put this blanket?”

“I got it from one of the hall closets. Go ahead and take it down to laundry when you start your chores. But first…” His master thumbed over his shoulder to the kitchen. “Coffee. Breakfast.”

“Okay. Do you want me to prepare you something as well, master?”

“Nah, I already made myself something. I get up quite early. Now go on--- or do you want to skip a meal and go straight to work?”

“Already on my way, sir!” Carrying the blanket with him, Ronin went into the kitchen.

His master chuckled. “And for God’s sake, make it a large breakfast--- you’re still a twig!”

~*~

Ronin was a timid lad, that much he would admit. His ‘servant’ obeyed his every word, and put much vigor into his work… even if there was not enough for him to do.

As he watched the boy disappear into the kitchen, his eyes drifted over to a portrait on the wall; his smile fell as he looked at it: a young Knight standing victorious after battle, his helmet abandoned to let his long black hair flow, hand on the hilt on his sword as if preparing to unsheathe it.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips, a weight on his heart growing heavy.

He set his coffee on the windowsill, walking back up to his room. He was sure it would be gone before Ronin walked out of the kitchen, knowing the ‘invisible servant’ would retrieve it before the lad would.

~*~

It was by accident that Ronin sat at the counter with his coffee in quiet thought. He loved making coffee in the mornings, the market always having different kinds of beans for him to try. Just the smell of it helped him to wake up and relax as the sun slowly rose above the horizon.

Why, if he did not get sick from drinking more than one cup, he would drink it throughout the day just to enjoy the taste and warmth it gave!

He had forgotten what it felt like… it had been so long…

_“Blech! You call this coffee?! It tastes like shit!”_

_*Crash!*_

_“H-Hey, I spent all morning brewing that---!”_

_“Shut up!” *slap!* “It is clear you spent the whole morning slacking off! Now clean up this mess, while I rinse my mouth of this filth!”_

_“Clean up?! You’re the one who---“_

_*Slap!*_

_“I SAID GET TO WORK, YOU WRETCHED---“_

“Meow!”

“Ah!” Ronin gasped, sitting up straight; he looked, seeing a cat sitting on the counter! “What the…?! Where did you come from??”

“Meow!” The cat hopped down, running out of the kitchen.

“Hey!” The servant ran out after it, chasing it down the halls!

The cat appeared to be toying with him; it would run at a matching pace, then sprint off when Ronin got close enough to grab it! As if that were not enough, it would jump up on tables or shelves, leaping from one piece of furniture to the one adjacent, either to help evade capture or to just show off its prowess.

It ran up the stairs, and at this point the lad had to stop for a breath. “Mew!” the cat responded, waiting at the top, as if taunting him.

“When I catch you… I’m turning you into a rug!” Ronin breathed, glaring at the feline.

Getting a good look at it, however, he realized it was quite familiar…

Before it could dawn on him, the cat took off! The servant groaned, running after it.

“Master? Master, there’s a cat in the castle!” Ronin hollered as the cat continued to run down the corridors.

He paused just then, as the cat had stopped at the bottom of another flight of stairs…

Stairs that had been hidden behind a locked door, between two golden suits of armor.

Ronin’s eyes widened. _What the…?! How did that door get open?!_ He thought in shock. “Nice kitty… come back over here. Master doesn’t want anyone going in th---“

The cat ran up the stairs in a heartbeat.

“Dammit!” Ronin paced to and from the door, trying to figure out what to do. Should he go to his master and tell him the cat ran up to the forbidden area? But if he did that, the man would demand how the door was opened in the first place and accuse his servant! Perhaps he would go and tell him the door was open all of a sudden, inquiring who could have opened it, then bring up the cat later…

A thought occurred to him just then. The door had been locked, and his master was no doubt the only one with a key. Perhaps he was up there already!

“Master?” Ronin called up the stairs, but there was no answer. They seemed to curve; perhaps the man was out of earshot. Taking a breath, he began to ascend upward.

He paused, looking back at the door. He felt squeamish about breaking the rules, but if he were questioned he would tell the truth: some darn cat was running loose!

 _Just catch the cat and leave. Master is up there now, anyway. Who else could have opened those locks??_ Ronin reassured himself over and over. True, he had a knack for picking locks as well, as he mastered the technique due to the numerous times Kira would lock him inside his room, but he was nowhere near the door and had no intention of ever opening it! Therefore, only his master held the key.

Unless… this was another trick of the house…

“Mew!”

Ronin was snapped out of his thoughts, seeing the cat standing in an open doorway! It ran into the room before the servant could react. “Oh, come back here, already!” he groused, following the cat inside…

The feline was sitting on top of a large chest. But not just any chest; no, this chest resembled ones he saw in books about treasure hunters; the frame was solid gold, the woodwork painted red and glossed, making the box shimmer. The cat looked content, as it nuzzled against the chest and purred quite loud, as if the trunk were full of catnip!

“Alright you little rotter. Lets get you out of here,” Ronin stated, but the cat merely hopped off the chest…

And the lid popped open!

The servant gasped, seeing what was held inside…

A royal robe was folded neatly at the bottom, and on top of it sat a glorious crown.


	9. The Forbidden Room

_A… A crown? Certainly it cannot be real!_ The servant thought as he looked inside the chest. He lifted it up to examine it, finding it was quite heavy; the jewels embedded in it were very much real, and the velvet interior was void of wear. _Does this mean… those portraits truly are his memories? Is… Is the man I serve truly a king?!_

Something else was in the chest, having been hidden beneath the royal top: a Medal of Honor. He set the crown back down, lifting up the medal, solid gold and kept on a purple ribbon. He looked it over, tracing his fingers along the embedded design; on the back, he saw there were words engraved on the back:

_Awarded To_

_Kamoshida Suguru_

_In Honor of Valor_

_A medal of honor, personally engraved? Master must have done something incredible to earn this… and being a king no less!_ Ronin thought, amazed; his expression turned skeptical. _But… why would he want to hide these away?_

A shadow fell over him just then; he looked over his shoulder and gasped, dropping the medal back into the chest out of shock.

His master stood behind him, and he looked absolutely furious! “Get away from there!” he snarled, grabbing Ronin by the back of the shirt and practically throwing him back! He then slammed the chest shut.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” The servant sputtered, backing up as his master stood at his full height.

The man glared intensely at him, his gaze making the boy’s blood turn to ice. “What were you doing up here?! I thought I told you this area was off limits!”

“I-I was chasing a cat through the castle--- t-the door was open, I thought you were up here--- the chest was open… I’m sorry, master, it won’t happen again!”

“Get out.”

“I’m sor---“

“I SAID GET OUT!” He stormed up to the servant, shoving him towards the door. “I want you out of my sight! Away with you! NOW!”

Ronin was shoved so roughly he almost fell down the stairs; catching himself on the railing he took off running.

He ran as fast as he could, racing down the stairs; his lungs were burning by the time he was on the bottom floor, but he continued to flee as if he were pursued by a hungry monster. He burst through the palace doors and raced outside, not stopping until he slammed into the gate, catching himself on the bars and clinging to them.

His eyes were watering, and he began to weep; weeping turned to sobbing, until he sank to his knees, tears pouring out of his face. The one very important rule he was given, and he had broken it!

Ronin thought about the portraits, telling the story of a Knight who became a King, and now for some reason, that King was trapped inside a palace. How and why remained a mystery… but it was clear that the man did not want to share his past, that something had happened that would make him hide the symbols of authority and nobility away from the world.

And the lad had tapped into the secret, reopening a wound that perhaps was never healed.

 _Master… I’m sorry…_ Ronin thought, letting out another sob. He looked back at the castle; he had never seen the man so furious before, not even after he ended up trapped with him. His eyes burned with such rage that the fires of hell itself could not compete; his fists had been clenched tight, and for a moment the lad was afraid his master was going to strike him!

He stood up; he dared not go back inside. He believed he would never be welcomed inside the domain again…

He walked down the gravel path, deciding to go around to the gardens.

The yard was filled with dead hedges, flowerbeds that were nothing but dirt and dried up weeds, and cracked statues that were missing almost all their limbs if not crumbled completely. Far at the end of the path there was a gazebo, covered in desiccated vines that the boy imagined were once green and covered in beautiful flowers.

A cold wind blew, making Ronin shiver; wrapping his arms around himself he walked underneath the gazebo, sitting down on the stone bench that sat in the center. He lay down, closing his eyes, and quietly wishing this day was nothing but a bad dream.

~*~

_The female knight was strong, and tried to uphold that image even after the King ordered her into his chambers. When the door shut behind her upon leaving, he could tell she cried every time._

_He would send that weak soldier to fetch her each day, and have him stand guard until the King was finished. After all, he could not risk letting anyone else know what was going on in his bedroom, and he knew that scrawny wretch would not tell a soul (not that it would matter, as everyone would turn a blind eye regardless); the knight would keep her mouth shut too, not only for the sake of her reputation, but mainly for the sake of her friend…_

_He had encountered the Romani girl before; she flirted with him at first, but when he requested she become his mistress, she refused him. The gall! How dare that temptress deny a king!_

_Thus when he went after the knight. They had grown up together, he had learned; one girl wanted to become a soldier and help defend the kingdom, the other wished to live a simple life and travel; she even modeled dresses for the local merchants to help sell their products, just to earn a little extra wages._

_To think the tramp would turn down the offer to live like a royal…_

_She did not know about his affairs with her friend, the knight no doubt ashamed to tell even her closest companion. Even when the knight began to grow miserable, her confidence slipping further with each passing day, the Romani girl did not realize anything!_

_Until the day the knight climbed to the top of the wall and jumped._

_That was the day the Romani girl learned how twisted his intentions were._

_That was when that rebellious soldier he had dismissed confronted him with the bandit._

_That was the day he sentenced them to execution._

_That was the final mistake the King ever made before the Phantom Thieves made him their target._


	10. Kamoshida

_In Honor of Valor._

Kamoshida grimaced at the inscription; after his servant had ran out, he went to lock the chest, only to see that the lock itself had fallen off and skidded across the floor out of his line of sight. The moment he leaned forth to pick it up, the lid of the chest popped back open.

“Stop that. I told you I wanted this damn thing to stay locked!” He cursed, as if scolding the castle itself. When he knelt back down, however, he saw his medal and could not help but pick it up.

The medal had been given to him after he returned from war; the general of his unit had been greatly wounded, and he had stood at his side to defend him from the oncoming enemy, shouting orders to the rest of the soldiers; the strongest he ordered to fight at his side, the rest he ordered to get their general out of the line of fire. When the battle was over and he managed to return home, the general had told everyone of his loyal effort to defend both his land and superior officer, and so he was rewarded.

He shook his head, dropping the medal back down into the chest. Back then he may have been a strong warrior and hero, but the glory had gone to his head, and it became worse when he was given the title of king! The soldier who had fought in that war would have slain the tyrant he had become!

Now… he did not wish to remember any of it. The guilt weighed heavily on his heart, and he felt sickened whenever he thought about his past triumphs, as they only led to his dark memories of how he abused his power.

Hell, he wanted to forget his own name. That was why he never made the proper introduction to Ronin. It was clear the lad must have heard it before! The news of his downfall no doubt spread to every kingdom in the land. He could only wonder what became of the one he had left behind, hoping that by some miracle it gained a monarch who actually gave a damn about their subjects!

He hooked the lock around the latch; it was solid gold, in the shape of a heart. With a _click,_ he secured the chest before standing up.

The walk back downstairs was a long one, as the ex-king rubbed his face and tried to clear his head. It was no use; no matter how hard he tried, he could not put up a barrier between him and his shame.

He slammed the door shut, making sure it was locked well. How it could have opened, he planned on finding out. Ronin had tried explaining, but the boy was stammering so much he could not give a clear answer, and Kamoshida had begun to see red…

His servant reminded him of Mishima, a sickly-looking lad who was training to be a soldier: following his word to the letter, always nervous, and looking like he was going to be sick whenever Kamoshida entered. The only difference is Ronin did not suffer any physical abuse…

_Yet._

He gasped, finding himself facing a portrait of himself seated on a throne, a wicked smirk on his face. He scowled at the portrait. _No… I’m not going back to that! It’s different!_

_Is it? Remember the last time someone poked their noses where they did not belong? Remember what you did to them? This time, there is no one to stop you. Why bother running from your past? Do you really believe that a gang of thieves making you feel remorse has really changed your heart? It is a foolish idea! You may have confessed, you may have resigned, but you will always be what they see you as…_

He clenched his fists, shutting his eyes; his shoulders were shaking. _Enough…!_

_You are a twisted, abusive, perverted bastard._

“I SAID ENOUGH!” Kamoshida yelled, swinging his fist into the portrait, punching a hole in it; he then tore into it, ripping the canvas to pieces.

He breathed deep, seeing only bits and pieces left in the frame, the rest tattered at his feet. He rubbed his face, letting out a moan; when he looked again, the portrait was back in one piece as if it had never been ripped. The only difference was the look on his face did not seem all that condescending.

Still, he turned away, making his way down the hallway. The portraits on the walls always seemed to mock him, and he had spent so much time in his personal hell training himself to ignore them. Rather, he looked out the windows at the gray clouds and dead yard; the atmosphere outside seemed to reflect his mood.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Kamoshida continued his way down the hall to his room. Upon entering, he saw a tray on his desk; beneath it was a glass of water and a bowl of curry. Appetite seemed to escape him, however, and he put the lid back on the tray and walked over to his bed. Perhaps he would feel better after he rested.

He just hoped the nightmares would stay away this time.

~*~

_“No! I refuse to do it! I will not marry such a horrid wretch!”_

_“You’ll do it, or else we will end up in the poor house!”_

_“If you had cut down on your spending, it wouldn’t be a problem, Kira! And if you think it’s the answer to all our problems, why don’t YOU settle down with some atrocious aristocrat!”_

_“Oh, don’t pretend you can use big words, you idiot. And need I remind you none of this would have happened if it was not for you?”_

_“Stop saying that...!”_

_“But it’s true, isn’t it? You have to do what’s best for the family now! That means marrying a wealthy noble. I don’t care how much you get hurt--- you know in your heart you do not deserve a happy marriage for what you have done. …Or do you deny father’s death was not your fault?”_

_~*~_

The clock chimed three times on the wall, stirring the ex-king from his nap. Despite the length he had slept, he felt as if he had been awake for days. _Damn nightmares…_ he thought, but the subconscious visions had become so common that he felt more annoyed by them than disturbed, as if they were nothing more than a dog that kept barking outside his window all night.

He looked over, seeing the tray still sitting on the desk. Perhaps his ‘invisible caterer’ decided not to pick up the dishes this time. Oh well, he could use something to eat after a restless dose. Standing up and stretching, he walked over and lifted up the lid; the food was gone, and all that was left was a note:

_‘You should talk to him.’_

Kamoshida arched an eyebrow, until he realized what the note meant. Leaning against the desk and running a hand through his hair, he let out a heavy sigh; his ‘servant’ was probably sitting somewhere, anxious and trembling after his ‘master’ bellowed at him.

 _It’s not my fault. He should have stayed out like I told him to, whether the door was open or not._ He told himself, crossing his arms. Servants needed to be reminded why they should follow the rules.

His eyes drifted over to the wall, where a large portrait hung--- the one he hated most. It was of him in his royal garb, taking the hand of a beautiful blonde-haired girl and giving her a charming smile; he was offering her a ride on his black stallion. She had accepted…

_“I did not commit such things… that damn whore practically threw herself at me!” the King shouted when he had been confronted by the band of thieves. “It was not my fault!”_

Kamoshida threw his head back and groaned. “Fine! I’ll go talk to him… (he still should have just stayed out),” he said to no one in particular, grumbling under his breath as he left the room.

Walking down the stairs to the servant’s quarters, he entered the room; however, it was empty. _Where is he hiding?_ The ex-king thought, walking back down the hall and checking the other bedrooms.

He checked the kitchen, but saw the lad was not there either. He walked down to the lounge, finding it vacant as well. The same results were said for the laundry room, and several guest bedrooms on the second floor. “Ronin!” he called, his voice echoing.

The master scratched his head; surely his servant would come upon being called, or at least make him something as means of apology! But as he searched every room and closet, calling out for the lad, there was no sign of him.

Kamoshida sighed, sitting down on a couch in the hall to rest his legs. _Where could he be? I’ve searched every room in this damn castle!_ He thought… then looked across the corridor, down the main hall.

The front door was slightly ajar…

He looked out the window, his eyes growing wide as he noticed the falling snow.


	11. Cold Weather

_“Do you really have to go, Papa?”_

_“I’m afraid so. The farmer who is selling me the horses is too old to travel such a long way, so I must go pick them up. Everett, Aoba and Nu are coming with me, so I will not be alone, and Miss Yua will be checking in while I’m away.”_

_“…you wouldn’t have to go at all if I didn’t leave the gate open…”_

_“Now, now, I do not blame you. The latch on that gate was always stubborn, most days I had to wrestle with the darn thing to get it to lock in place! …Just remember, from now on you need to ask for permission when you want to go horseback riding; you are much too small to try it on your own!”_

_“Yes, Papa…”_

_“Ha ha, it’s alright, Ronin… Now, listen to your big sister while I’m gone, alright? And no fighting! I don’t want to come home and hear our neighbors tell me any horror stories!”_

_“C-Can I go with you? Please??”_

_“Perhaps another day, when you are older. I’ll be back by tomorrow afternoon.” *peck* “Be good now, okay?”_

_“Okay… bye, Papa--- come back really quick!”_

_“Ha ha, I’ll be home before you know it!”_

~*~

“ _Ronin!”_

Kamoshida’s voice echoed in the courtyard; he pulled his cloak tight around his shoulders, adjusting the hood to help shield his eyes from the falling snow. The ground was already covered, ruining his chances of finding any footprints his servant left behind, and had no choice but to search the entire vicinity.

Thirty minutes had passed, and the snow was already passing his ankles, making him hope his ‘invisible caterer’ would have some hot cocoa prepared once they finally got back inside. “Ronin! Where are you? Answer me!” The ex-king shouted, his voice being drowned out by the wind.

He went around to the gardens; surely his servant would have the common sense to hide somewhere with proper cover! The garden shed in the back was the only place he could think of. _I swear, if that boy ran back inside, I’m going to strangle him!_ He thought as he shivered against the cold; becoming aware of that thought, he shook his head. _No, no, don’t think like that, Suguru. You promised, never again._

“Ronin? Come back inside! I just want to talk!” Kamoshida called once again, heading down the garden path. “Come on now, it’s freezing out here!”

The snow was getting thicker, and he wondered if his servant could hear him over the wind at all. He made his way towards the shed, opening it up and stepping inside. It was empty, save for a few yard tools, bags of soil, and empty flower pots. He groaned, sitting down on the small bench and looking out the window. He would have to wait for the snow to stop falling before going back out…

His eyes fell on the gazebo in the distance. Squinting, he could make out a shape…

 _Don’t tell me he…_ Not finishing the thought, Kamoshida ran out to the gazebo, circling around to the front of it.

There lay Ronin, curled up tight on the bench, asleep and shivering.

“R-Ronin! What the hell!” The ex-king sputtered, having his servant sit up; the lad was as cold as the snow outside, and did not stir from his sleep. “Dammit… of all the stupid…” The master took off his cloak, wrapping it around the younger man’s shoulders before picking him up.

He hurried towards the nearest entrance; there was a pair of double doors located on the side, which led out to the garden path; he pulled the handle, thankful to find the doors were unlocked (as he never felt a reason to lock up the castle anyway, as isolated as it was deemed).

Rushing down the hall, Kamoshida carried Ronin to the lounge, setting him by the fireplace to help return warmth to both their bodies. “Hey… h-hey, Ronin! Wake up!” the master urged, tapping the lad’s face. He looked over, seeing that his ‘invisible caterer’ was one step ahead, as there was a bowl and a kettle of hot water set on the table, as well as a thick blanket.

The master propped his servant up in the chair, taking off his shoes and placing his bare feet in the warm water, while placing a warm washcloth on his forehead; he wrapped the blanket around him tightly. The lad groaned, his eyes opening only slightly. “Huh…?” he moaned. “Master…?”

“Ronin? Are you okay? What were you doing, sleeping out in the snow?!” Kamoshida questioned, trying to keep himself from raising his voice.

“I’m sorry… mm.” Ronin closed his eyes again, then let out a cough. “I don’t feel good…”

“No wonder. You must have caught a cold,” He placed his hands on the lad’s shoulders, sitting down next to him. “Oi! Don’t go to sleep yet! We need to warm you up!”

“Nngh…”

Kamoshida sighed… and saw a tray left on the table next. On it were two bowls of hot soup, and two mugs of warm tea. There was also a bottle of medicine. _My word, you are quite fast!_ He thought in reference to the ‘invisible caterer’.

He brought the soup over first; his servant looked too tired to hold the bowl himself, so he ended up having to feed the lad. Once in a while the master had to shake his shoulder or pat him on the back to help the lad stay awake enough to swallow the broth. When the servant ate as much as he could (which was barely half the bowl), Kamoshida had him take a spoonful of the medicine.

The boy retched. “It tastes terrible…!” he whined, sniffling.

“Here, this should help with the taste,” The ex-king replied, having him take a long sip of tea. “Better?”

“A little… *cough*”

The man let out a sigh; he had the lad lift his feet out of the bowl, drying them off before wrapping him up in the blanket and carrying him to one of the spare bedrooms. He would recover quicker there, rather than the servant’s quarters on the ground floor. It was then he realized the servant’s clothes were still damp from the snow.

“We will have to put you in some dry clothes, alright?” Kamoshida told him, setting him on the bed.

“I-I can dress myself… *achoo!*” Ronin responded.

The ex-king shook his head, but decided to let the lad have _some_ independence during his sickly state. He pulled open the drawer, finding a long night-shirt and soft, felt trousers much too big, but they would have to do for the time being. He handed them to his servant, before turning around and keeping his eyes out the window. He decided he would wait five minutes and if the lad was not dressed, he would assist him.

“Done?” Kamoshida asked after a few moments.

“…yes… *cough*” Ronin answered; the master turned, seeing his servant changed, looking a bit worn out and holding the pants up at his waist.

“Alright then,” The man pulled back the blankets, having the lad crawl into the bed. “Now, get some rest. Sleep is the best thing for a cold,”

“Master…? I’m sorry… again…” The servant said quietly as he began to drift off. “I shouldn’t.. have… zzzzzzz…”

Kamoshida stood up, walking out of the room while Ronin slept. He returned to the lounge, finding the bowl of soup left for him was still hot, and decided to focus on warming up himself before he could catch a chill next.


	12. A Reflection of Childhood

_“Mishima! Are you ready for your ‘special training’?” The King asked, approaching the frail soldier underneath the archway within the courtyard._

_The soldier cringed, blanching at the sight of him. His eyes quickly darted towards the dismissed knight and bandit, both who stood by the gateway. “Er, forgive me sire, but I am not feeling well today. I-I believe I should take a day to rest,” he answered, his voice shaking._

_“Hmph. It is an attitude like that which will prevent you from becoming a worthy knight. If you wish to remain on my royal guard, you will proceed with your conditioning, regardless of circumstances! …Or, are you telling me you wish to relinquish your position?”_

_“N-No, your highness! I’ll… I’ll continue,”_

_“Good, now come along.” With one glare at the bandit and former knight, the King led the soldier away._

~*~

 _I truly was a villain, wasn’t I?_ Kamoshida thought, looking at the portrait portraying him standing over a defeated soldier. Even beyond the helmet, he could imagine the young man’s pained expression; he winced, recalling how he tormented him for shedding tears from the pain, claiming real warriors never wept.

Well, the tables had been turned, for within a matter of days he was defeated, and sat on the ground sobbing. His tears were unleashed again when he confessed to his abuse of power and renounced his throne. He was prepared for the dungeons, the guillotine…

But instead he was exiled from his kingdom, as those he had wronged felt it was justified to make him live out his days carrying his guilt, the mercy of death and imprisonment ‘too good for him’.

His tears had dried when he walked out of the gates, leaving the land he once fought to protect, the kingdom he once ruled, and the people he had let down.

Roaming was not uncommon to him; as a knight, he had to travel to fight against enemies to protect the borders, if not claim new territory. He had been overseas, across mountains, and into dense forests; he did not see the entire world, but travelling far from home sure made it feel like he had.

Not that he ever had a real home.

He lived with his grandmother growing up, never knowing who his parents had been. His grandmother was a travelling merchant, putting him to work setting up the tent on the roadside early each morning, helping her sell goods, then take the tent down before sunset and get back on the road. She was never cruel to him, but never seemed to show any warmth either, treating him more like an employee than her grandchild.

When he turned ten, she died. He ended up selling her business to a merchant in town, for he did not want to carry on her tradition. In return for the business, the merchant gave him a job and a room, claiming he had a son close to his age…

_“So, if you are not going to be a merchant, what do you plan on doing with your life?” the son asked, as the two of them cleaned up the shop after closing._

_“I plan on becoming a knight. I will be going to the castle later on to see if one needs a squire, that will be a good start don’t you think?” the young Suguru replied._

_“A knight? I heard that takes some serious training.”_

_“Well, I happen to be serious about becoming one, so there. What about you?”_

_“I plan on taking over my father’s shop someday. I have ideas to make it the most popular business throughout the lands!”_

_“Ha! That’s it? Just being a shopkeeper all your life?”_

_“Oh, no. That will just be the first step. I plan on becoming a chairman once I become successful. Who knows? I may even become a prime minister! I have so many ideas on how to change the world!”_

_Suguru pretended to think for a moment. “’Prime Minister, Shido Masayoshi’--- that is sure to strike terror into people’s hearts!”_

_“Oh, hush. I’ll be sailing around the world in all my success before you know it!”_

_“Ha ha, sure--- and I’ll become king!”_

_Masayoshi grinned, grabbing a toy sword and toss it to him. “Oh? Then I shall take your throne! En guarde!” he grabbed another toy sword, and the two had a mock-battle, hitting each other’s swords against each other until they ‘stabbed’ each other, both feigning dying moans and falling to the ground bursting into laughter._

_Weeks later, Suguru sat with him at the counter. “So you will be training from now on, huh?” Masayoshi asked him, albeit sadly._

_“Starting tomorrow. I will be packing up tonight. I’ll try to visit as often as I can,” Suguru answered._

_His friend shrugged. “Ah, don’t worry about it. Focus on your dream, and I will focus on mine.” He lifted his glass in cheer. “God speed to both of us,”_

_Suguru raised his glass, clinking it against his friend’s. “Hear, hear!”_

_And that was the last they ever saw of each other._

“I wonder if he ever achieved his dream…” Kamoshida whispered to himself, looking at the portrait depicting the two young boys in mock swordplay. He let out a heavy sigh, turning and looking out the window.

It was still snowing, small flakes gently floating down if not being blown across the air by a bout of wind. He sipped his coffee, as just looking outside was enough to make one feel cold.

“*atchoo!*”

The sneeze echoed down the hall, and the ex-king looked over his shoulder… and almost dropped his mug. Ronin was slowly walking over, pale and sickly, barely half awake as his eyes were slightly closed.

But what was most shocking was the lad was wearing one of Kamoshida’s robes!

It was a red one, with a pink heart embroidered on the cuffs and the right side of the chest, and made from the softest fibers, more like wearing a warm blanket than a garment. Alongside keeping him warm, it seemed to amplify just how small the servant was: the sleeves surpassed his wrists by several inches, the hem of it dragged behind him while keeping his feet completely covered, and the tie (which was poorly done) hung off at the midsection of his thighs.

“Ronin? What are you doing out of bed… and where did you get that robe?” Kamoshida asked, trying to hide the awkward tone in his voice and ignoring the acknowledgment that Ronin looked like a small child wearing their father’s housecoat.

“It was *cough* on the bed… do you need anything, master?” The lad asked, his voice raspy; no doubt he had a sore throat and a fever.

The master shook his head. “Go back to bed. You’re still sick,”

“*sniffle* Yes, sir…” The servant shuffled down the hallway, heading in the opposite direction.

“Ronin?” Kamoshida pointed his thumb over his shoulder. “Your room is _that_ way,”

“Okay… sorry…” Turning around, Ronin walked back to his room… ending up drifting close to the wall and bumping into a suit of armor. “(oof!) Excuse me, miss…”

The ex-king sighed, before walking with him; resting a hand on the lad’s shoulder, he led him back to the room and to the bed, having him lay down. On the nightstand, the bottle of medicine sat on a tray with a spoon, next to it was a jar of clear paste. “Here, take this.” The man said, giving his servant another spoonful of the medicine.

“It still tastes awful…” Ronin whined, but fatigue overcame him and he began to dose off.

Kamoshida then opened the robe a bit, unbuttoning the nightshirt. He paused, looking at the lad a moment; he suddenly felt uncomfortable about proceeding with taking care of his servant, but shook his head and rubbed the clear paste on Ronin’s neck and below his collarbone, dabbing a bit on his nose afterward.

Ronin then stirred, looking up at him. “I don’t feel good, Papa…” he whispered, trying to fight sleep. “Will you stay with me?”

The master arched an eyebrow; clearly his servant was growing delusional due to his fever! “Alright… just get some sleep.” He replied, buttoning the lad’s shirt before covering him up. Ronin curled up in the blankets, sleep finally claiming him.

Kamoshida let out a heavy sigh. _We are going to have plenty to talk about, aren’t we?_


	13. A Mild Change in Routine

“Are you serious??”

Kamoshida had to refrain from chuckling at his servant’s stunned expression, but a smirk still spread on his lips. “Very much so. You were quite feverish; you kept calling me ‘Papa’ and wanted to go horseback riding; I actually had to stay in your bedroom because you kept trying to get up and go outside!” he answered in an amused tone.

Ronin blushed, covering his face. “Oh, dear Lord…”

“And when I managed to get you back into bed, you would ask for me to sing you a lullaby or tell you a story,”

“What?! T-That is absurd!”

“Ha ha, I would say so! Did I mention you also asked me to give you a piggyback ride?”

“Oh, now you’re just making things up!”

The ex-king snickered, enjoying the lad’s embarrassment. “Alright, alright… but you did ask for a story. I told you a story about a man who was unfaithful to his maiden and had known a whore, and as punishment turned into a sheep every night until he made things right. …I forget how it ended; he either married his mistress, the prostitute, or left them both for a man.”

Ronin sighed, rubbing his head. It had been two days since his cold had passed, which he found amazing as most folks would still be sniffling and sneezing for a whole week; hell, the way he had fallen asleep outside in the snow, it was a miracle he did not catch pneumonia or lapse into hyperthermia! “Well, thank you for caring for me… despite what I did beforehand.”

The grin slipped from Kamoshida’s face, and he focused on his coffee. “Just stay out of that room from now on. …I’m sure you must have questions,”

“Yes, but… I won’t ask. If it is something you wish to keep secret, I will not pry. It is your business, not mine.”

“But you are curious?”

Ronin leaned back in his chair, looking up at the portrait that hung in the study where they sat. It depicted the King in an intense fight with a young knight with short, spiky hair. “Everything about this castle piques my curiosity. I have learned to repress it,”

“Very well.” The man set his coffee down on the table next to his chair, leaning forward. “Of course, you realize you have already broken my trust. From now on, I will be keeping an eye on you to make sure you do not let your curiosity get the better of you.”

Ronin bowed his head. “I understand, master…”

“Heh. No need to keep calling me ‘master’, you already know my name.”

“I’m still your servant, am I not? Therefore, I will keep calling you ‘master’.”

Kamoshida rolled his eyes. Somehow, he felt his servant was doing this just to annoy him; well, two could play that game. “Are you sure you don’t want to keep calling me ‘Papa’?”

He did not hold back a laugh when Ronin blushed again, slapping his forehead with a groan.

…

“So, did you ever find the cat?” The servant asked while he did dishes after breakfast, his master leaning against the counter to watch him.

“Cat?” The man questioned. “I haven’t seen one anywhere. Where did you see it?”

“I saw it here in the kitchen, and I chased it all the way up to that room. You don’t think it’s still up there, do you?”

Kamoshida scoffed. “If it is, it would be yowling to get out. What did it look like?”

Ronin thought for a moment. “Almost all black, but with white around its muzzle and paws.”

 _Come to think of it,_ the lad suddenly realized. _It looked just like the cat that led me here…_

He looked at his master, but he only shrugged. “Sorry, never saw it.” The ex-king answered.

~*~

A week had passed by the time a routine fell amongst the two residents of the castle. Every morning, Kamoshida would knock on Ronin’s door before sunrise and have his servant get to work; the lad would fix them both breakfast, and for the first time in a while the master started eating his meals at the table rather than his room. After washing dishes, the servant would be given a task.

Whether it was polishing the banisters, dusting the statues, or sweeping the halls, the master kept nearby and watched his servant work. Often, he would step in to give him some guidance. “Here, mop like this…”, “Try standing on a chair to dust that shelf, you’ll strain your back if you keep stretching up like that…”, “If you fold it like this, it won’t wrinkle as much…”

“You sure know quite a bit about how to do chores,” Ronin commented one day, after Kamoshida told him how to scrub the laundry so there would be less stains.

“What, do you think I was spoiled my whole life? I did not always live in a palace, you know.” His master answered. “What about you? From your hardworking demeanor, I would have thought you would know a few tricks to housekeeping,”

“Well… I started doing chores at a young age, and sort of had to learn on my own.”

“Sort of?”

“Someone would give me a task, and then tell me I was doing it wrong,”

“I see. …I take it you find me pushy?”

Ronin scoffed, having to smirk. “Compared to the last person I had to clean up after? I consider you to be quite a gentleman.”

The man laughed. If only the boy knew…

…

It was later in the afternoon as Ronin was cleaning the window. Things had grown quiet, and in the reflection in the glass he saw Kamoshida watching him, but seemed to have a faraway look in his eye. “Is something wrong, sir?”

The man shook his head, snapping out of his daydream. “I’m fine. I was just thinking,”

Ronin walked up to him. “Penny for your thoughts?”

Kamoshida scoffed, giving him a smirk. “You would pay twenty pounds of gold for my thoughts, lad.” He looked out the window. “It seems the weather is warming up. Why don’t you clear the snow off the steps?”

“Very well,” Ronin put away his indoor cleaning supplies, before grabbing his cloak and a snow shovel. They walked to the front door together. “By the way, what would you like for dinner?”

“Maybe a roast. Think you can cook that?”

“Ha ha, I will do my best… oh!” Ronin looked out, seeing it was still snowing lightly.

Kamoshida looked out. “I guess that blizzard still had a little bit leftover. You can shovel later.”

“Okay,” The servant began to turn, but did a double take.

Sitting in the middle of the walkway was the cat from earlier!

“Master, look! It’s the cat!”

Kamoshida looked, spotting the cat looking at them curiously. “Ah. Just a mangy stray is all,” he said, with somewhat of a mock in his tone.

The cat hissed at him in response, before dashing off. Ronin chuckled; it was as if the cat understood what he said!


	14. No Escape

It was the middle of the night when Ronin’s fear came to life.

He was awake, unable to sleep so he decided to walk down to the lounge. The hallway felt much longer than usual, and the night was completely pitch-black, giving the corridor an eerie atmosphere. In fact, it felt unfamiliar; as he walked along, he saw a set of balcony doors was open. _The wind must have blown them open. I had better shut them before the hall gets too drafty,_ he thought.

Walking over, he noticed this balcony gave a view of the front gate. All the snow seemed to have melted during the night, and the wind was not so crisp. He looked over the balcony, breathing in a bit of fresh air as he looked out.

He froze.

Someone was walking up to the palace; they were wearing a dark purple cloak, white blouse with a dark red long skirt, and black knee-high boots. Long, auburn-colored hair was tied back, with bangs cut just above the brow.

“No… it can’t be!” Ronin gasped, peering over the edge of the railing as if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

The person paused and looked up at him… sharp green eyes glaring into his own.

_“Don’t think you’ll be safe here any longer, you wretched ass.”_

Letting out a cry, Ronin ran back inside, quickly rushing down to the front doors to latch them shut, racing down the stairway; it seemed to go on forever, as if the bottom never came up! They seemed to go down in a spiral, and he felt dizzy as he rushed in a whirl. Was the castle playing a trick on him?

When he finally reached the bottom, he raced to the doorway, only for the large double doors to fly open, slamming against the walls with a thunderous _‘BAM!’,_ a cold wind blowing into the domain as the trespasser stood in the frame; her eyes were glowing, making her look like an evil specter seeking to cause pain and suffering.

Ronin turned and ran. _“MASTER!”_ he shouted, but his voice sounded muted. He raced to the stairs, only to find he was in a different corridor; behind him, the woman was rushing towards him, floating like a ghost!

He ran as fast as he could. He looked around, but there were no other hallways he could turn down, nor any rooms he could barricade himself in. Up ahead was only a dead end with a portrait of the king, wearing nothing but a robe and crown.

Rushing forth, he leaped into the portrait, finding it was a secret passage that led to the top of the stairway!

_“You cannot hide forever, Ronin…”_

Gasping, Ronin ran up a flight of stairs, turning down one hall and heading to the next flight. Once he reached the top, he raced down to the next flight. Every time he looked back, the woman was stepping up to the top of the landing, turning her head his way.

It felt like he climbed a hundred flight of stairs, until he reached a hall that only had a doorway. Pulling it open, he found it was the tower room. He slammed the door shut and locked it, while looking around in a panic. He raced over, finding nothing inside the room but the chest.

_“You know running away will not solve anything. Sooner or later, you will have to face me again. You will have to come home, and you will have to do what is best for the family. It is what father would have wanted… or do you not care anymore?”_

Ronin began to sob to himself, and raced over to the chest; suddenly it felt a lot larger than before; he opened it up and climbed inside…

He waited in silence, peeking through the keyhole; the woman entered the room.

She passed by once.

Footsteps resounded on the left side of the room.

She passed by once more.

Footsteps resounded on the right side of the room.

She passed by a third time.

Silence.

Within a second a glowing green eye was peering through the lock.

Ronin screamed, jerking back and causing the chest to roll over, the top popping open and he fell out, finding himself in the middle of a meadow being assaulted by a harsh rainstorm.

Quickly he ran, and the woman pursued.

He ran into a forest, falling over and landing in a thicket. Above him he heard the woman running by. _“You’ve done nothing but ruin this family, Ronin! It is time to pay your dues!”_

He looked ahead, seeing a bridge. Without hesitation, he raced towards it. It was a rope bridge, but it seemed sturdy enough to cross. Running through the rain, he hurried towards it.

There came a deafening screech, and he looked behind him, seeing the woman flying towards him! Her hair was waving behind her like a tangle of snakes, her face contorted to look like a monstrous witch, her nails like claws and her teeth like fangs. She was gaining on him fast, he could practically feel her breath on his neck!

“HELP!!!” Ronin screamed in desperation, before finally making it to the bridge. He looked back, and to his surprise the woman stopped at the edge of the bridge! He watched her, and let out a relieved laugh as he made his way to the other side. Perhaps the she-demon could not cross a bridge like vampires could not cross running water!

He looked down, seeing a raging river below. He turned his eyes forward and hurried across the bridge, seeing a house just down the road…

Realization suddenly crashed over him, as he found these surroundings too familiar. Quickly, he ran, and behind him the bridge seemed to fall apart! He leaped and rolled onto the other side, looking back as the last board fell. _That bridge… that’s where…_

There came the noise of stampeding hooves, and he looked ahead to see a herd of horses running towards him! He screamed and ran to the side, only for the herd to sway in his direction and rush forth, the stallions snorting in fury as if their intention was to trample him!

He ran, seeing a boat dock down the way, a small rowboat floating at the end.

Ronin pushed himself onward, his lungs feeling as if they were burning, his legs weak, and he urged himself to keep running to avoid the stampede of horses, his boots clomping on the wooden planks.

He had one foot over the edge, when suddenly he was grabbed by the arm---!

_“Ronin! Wake up!”_

…

The docks disappeared, in their place being the stairway; he was bent forth at an angle that would have caused him to tumble and fall, risking a severe injury… perhaps death, if he snapped his neck in the plummet.

Snapped out of his disturbed dream, the servant looked over, seeing Kamoshida gripping his arm. Concern and confusion were in his eyes as he started at the lad.

Ronin winced, his breathing rapid.

_I can’t escape…_


	15. Communicating with an Invisible Person

Kamoshida sat at the desk in his bedroom. He spent most of his days trying to keep busy, to keep his mind off his situation. At his desk, he would look over documents, like what he used to do when he was a king. Honestly, if anyone had told him that ruling over a kingdom involved doing paperwork, he would not have accepted so quickly!

Not that these documents involved kingdom management. Mostly, they were just inputs and requests that were left on the table, as if the ‘invisible staff’ felt he needed something to keep himself occupied during his imprisonment. He had first noticed one day when he saw a note on his desk, and was shocked to discover someone--- or something--- was communicating with him!

The very first one was a simple request: _‘Please stop destroying the portraits.’_

He remembered having searched all over the castle, shouting and demanding this stranger show themselves. When he received no verbal or physical response, he spent hours pacing around before deciding to see if he could write a message in return:

_‘I hate those portraits. I do not want to see them anymore! Take them down!’_

Within the next hour, he found a note on his desk: _‘I cannot take your memories. If you do not like them, you should focus on better memories.’_

The response was confusing to him. But seeing as how no matter how many portraits he tried to destroy, hide, or cover up, they would always appear. So he decided to take the mysterious messenger’s advice and try to reflect on better days. Thus when he saw portraits of his days as a knight, one portrait of himself as a child with a friend, and when he was dubbed as the king’s bodyguard.

But it was not enough. He still felt miserable, and now he was startled that there was a supernatural presence in the domain.

After some time, he got a new message: _‘Please stop hurting yourself.’_

He had sighed, leaving his response: _‘I cannot promise that.’_

Eventually, the messages started to come more frequently. Messages like, _‘What do you like to eat?’, ‘Do you have a favorite animal?’,_ and _‘I plan on putting up new curtains, what color would suit your tastes?’_ as well as asking for his opinion about how they did with the cleaning, if they should put in any new furniture, or to just talk.

It was during that time Kamoshida felt he was finally going insane, he was sending letters to a figment of his imagination! But the longer he spent in the castle, the more he had to accept that the castle he was imprisoned in was indeed mystical in ways that went beyond understanding… and in some way, was connected to his cognitive thinking.

Ever since Ronin came along, the ‘invisible help’ was piling his desk full of messages! It felt like he was talking to a cross between a gossiping maid and an inquisitive child: _‘What do you think of Ronin living here?’, ‘Should I put up more decorations in his room?’, ‘How does he like the meals?’, ‘Why do you make him do chores? Is he bored?’, ‘I’m glad he is feeling better from his cold, make sure he keeps warm okay?’, ‘Do you like having him around?’_ and on and on!

The ex-king kept his answers brief: ‘It is alright, considering you were the one who gave him the wine.’, ‘I will ask him later.’, ‘I believe he enjoys the meals very much!’, ‘It was our agreement, he said he would be my servant while he stayed here, so I accepted his offer. But yes, doing chores does keep him from boredom.’, ‘Do not worry, I’ll make sure he does.’, ‘Kind of, it’s been a while since I have interacted with another person.’

It was well after midnight when he finished answering the messages, feeling himself dosing off while holding his pen. Stretching, he stood up from his desk and walked over to his bed, sitting on the edge of it as he slipped off his slippers. He looked at his pillow, letting out a heavy sigh; he knew the moment he fell asleep, his mind would be assaulted by vicious nightmares. Despite he had grown used to them, it made the idea of slumbering feel unsettling each time.

_*stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp*_

Kamoshida turned his head towards the door, hearing loud footsteps echoing. “What the hell…?” he wondered aloud, pulling his slippers back on and stepping out. There was no one in the hall, but the sound continued to echo. He pinpointed that it was coming from one of the lower floors--- the castle was so large and felt so empty, that he could pick up the sound in the still of the night.

Quickly, he ran down the steps, looking around for the source of the sound. Looking over the railing of the fourth floor landing, he could make out someone running down the hallway. Ronin!

The ex-king arched an eyebrow. The lad was stumbling around. Once in a while he would take a sharp turn and run in the opposite direction, only to turn around again!

*Thud!*

The lad… at some point… ran smack-dab into the wall at the end of the hallway. If he were not so confused about his servant’s behavior, Kamoshida would have found it hilarious! …Well, it was still hilarious, but he was concerned as to why the boy was running about like a lunatic.

Unfazed by the collision with the wall, Ronin merely turned and ran, ducking under the cushions of a couch! Kamoshida scratched his head, walking over. “Ronin?” he whispered, kneeling down beside the trembling pillows.

Ronin came tumbling out, and took off stumbling down the hall. The ex-king followed, getting a good look at his expression; his eyes were half-lidded, and he was murmuring soft whimpers. He was sleepwalking--- or, for the sake of a better term, suffering from a night-terror.

Kamoshida thought carefully. He remembered sharing barracks with soldiers who dealt with night-terrors as a result from post-battle trauma, and had been informed that one could not suddenly wake them as it could result in increasing their agitation, perhaps even triggering a heart attack if they are too startled. In most cases, they had to be kept in rooms with no windows or sharp objects, so to prevent them from harming themselves.

So the ex-king followed his servant, waiting for the night-terror to subside. Ronin continued to pick up the pace, sprinting down the hall in his sleep! Thankfully, in his slumbering state, he was not that fast, and Kamoshida only had to jog to keep beside him.

Ronin then paused, and the master waited. The lad then ran and leaped, stumbling in his landing and taking a breath, before suddenly turning sharply and running forth towards the stairs! He was about ready to jump---!

Gasping, Kamoshida rushed and grabbed him by the arm. “Ronin! Wake up!” he exclaimed, his servant almost falling forward, balancing on the tip of his toes, one leg outstretched.

There came a light gasp, and Ronin’s body stiffened; he began to take quick breaths, his eyes opening wide as he took in his surroundings. He looked back at his master, his eyes watering. His hyperventilation increased as their eyes locked, and he began to tremble.

The ex-king, quite carefully, pulled him away from the stairs, wrapping his other arm around the lad’s thin shoulders while his other released the boy’s arm. “It’s alright, Ronin. You’re okay.” He assured him, leading him down the hall and over to the couch (finding the overturned cushions had been put back into place), both of them sitting down. He rubbed his servant’s back to help calm his trepidation.

“I can’t… I’m not… Oh, geez… I almost…” Ronin was stammering, having a panic attack!

“Hey! Hey, Ronin, look at me.” Kamoshida stood up, kneeling down in front of the lad so that their eyes were level. “Deep breaths.” He inhaled and exhaled slowly, motioning his servant to follow his example.

The lad breathed in deep, letting it out as slow as possible. His master continued to walk him through the breathing exercise for a good fifteen minutes, until the blonde was finally calmed down enough to speak clearly. “…T-Thank you, master. I’m sorry for waking you---“

“Nonsense. I have seen plenty of soldiers go through this. What on earth in your dreaming caused you to run around in such a panic?”

Ronin wrapped his arms around himself, thinking for a moment. It made sense, most night-terrors were quickly forgotten the moment someone woke up. “I… I was being chased, and… then I was trying to outrun a stampede of horses.”

“I see. What was chasing you?”

The servant looked at him a moment, before shaking his head. Either he did not clearly recall, or he did not wish to mention. Fair enough, the master figured, as no one would want to bring up something terrifying--- especially while sitting in a dark hallway.

“Very well. Shall I walk you to your room?”

Ronin shifted, looking at him; he seemed a bit embarrassed. “Actually… m-might I stay in your room tonight?”


	16. Ann

From the look his master gave, Ronin was afraid Kamoshida would rebuke him for his request! It would not surprise him--- regardless how bad his horrid vision was, the man would deem it improper for a servant to reside in his quarters.

Thankfully, the ex-king seemed to have sympathy, and led him to the stairs. “We can go to the study.” The older man suggested, walking at his side the whole way.

“The study? Why the study?” Ronin asked in curiosity.

“Well, the lounge is on the ground floor and I doubt neither of us have the energy to walk all that way. Actually it is a surprise that you ran all the way from the servant’s quarters up to the third floor!”

Ronin rubbed his head, thinking about his nightmare. “I recall I climbed a lot of stairs in my dream.”

“Ha, you must have run a hundred miles in that dream of yours, as much as you were racing about. Why, I don’t think I have seen someone run so much since---!” The ex-king caught himself, choosing his words carefully. “…since my training days as a squire.”

“It feels like I’m always running in my dreams…” Ronin shook his head. He looked up at his master. “So, why are we going into the study rather than the bedroom?”

The man paused a beat, before stretching. “Because no one who wakes up finding they almost threw themselves down a flight of stairs ever goes asleep right away. It would be better to find something that helps calm your nerves enough so that you can fall asleep, and not stay awake all night.”

The servant considered this, but felt his master was only making an excuse to avoid the request, which made sense. Now that he was not in total shock, the lad felt awkward about asking such a thing, but seeing that they were already so far upstairs he did not wish to walk all the way back to the servant’s quarters; the idea of heading down several darkened corridors alone with vicious images of his nightmare flashing through his mind would scare him sick!

They arrived at the study, Kamoshida opening the door and allowing Ronin to step in first. It was a small room with a small bookcase, globe, desk, and two stuffed chairs, a single-framed window giving a view of the south side of the yard. The books on the shelf were more of the intellectual level, such as textbooks and novels that a professor would carry.

“What do you do in here?” Ronin asked as he took a seat in one of the chairs.

“Quite honestly, I come in here when either boredom was overbearing or sleep evaded me.” The older man walked over to the shelf, looking over the choices. “When I was a boy, I had to get my education from books. I had never been to school, because I travelled so much; the older I got, the more I found there was to learn. Ha, it was not until I began living in a palace that I found there was plenty of knowledge to be gained… even though it was quite boring to learn at first.”

The servant twiddled his thumbs, looking at the ground. “I have never been to school. I-I was taught at home, up until I was eleven. Then I had to go to the library to learn anything… and that’s when I was not busy doing work.”

“Then you have an opportunity to catch up,” The ex-king dropped a history book in the boy’s lap. “Here, this should be comprehensible enough.”

Ronin opened the book. “Where should I begin?”

“Where else? At the beginning.” Kamoshida walked over to the desk; Ronin noticed a stack of papers had appeared, and his master began to look over them. “Go ahead and read until you feel too tired.”

“Okay…”

…

It was half an hour before Ronin finished the first chapter, his eyelids heavy. Closing the book, he looked over at his master, who looked as if he was about ready to fall asleep himself. “Sir? May we go to bed now?” the lad asked, unable to hide his tired tone.

“Hm? …Oh, of course.” Kamoshida replied, leaning back and stretching as he yawned.

They walked out of the study and down the hall, both looking over at the stairs in disdain, already feeling exhausted just thinking about the climb. The master looked over, then tapped his servant on the shoulder, thumbing over at a pair of large couches had appeared in the hall, placed on either side across from each other.

Nodding, Ronin walked over and lied down on one couch, while Kamoshida lied down on the other. Blankets and pillows awaited them, and once they made themselves comfortable fell asleep in an instant.

~*~

It was not even two hours before Ronin was interrupted from his sleep by a sound. Sitting up with a start, he looked up and down the hall, trying to figure out what it was. It sounded like light gasps and quiet pleas, and it did not take him long to realize that it was coming from his master!

Walking over, the servant could make out some of the ex-king’s murmurings. “Please… I’m sorry… no, after what I’ve done… I deserve death… Ann…” His expression was contorted in distress, and to Ronin’s shock the man was crying in his sleep!

“M-Master, wake up! You’re having a nightmare!” The lad cried, shaking the man by the shoulder. “Wake up!”

Kamoshida gave a jolt, sitting up quickly as he snapped awake. Rubbing his face, he looked at Ronin. “W-What is it? Why did you wake me?” he demanded, his tone sharp.

The blonde cringed. “Y-You were… having a bad dream. Y-You were crying and talking in your sleep.”

“Oh…” The ex-king rubbed the back of his neck. “What all did I say?”

“Your voice was quiet, but I made out one word. …Who is Ann?”

The servant gasped as his master suddenly gripped him by the shirt! “Don’t ever mention that name in my presence! Forget everything you heard! Do you hear me?!”

“Uhn! Y-Yes, yes, alright! I’m sorry!”

The man’s glare softened, and he released him with a heavy sigh. “No, no, I should apologize. I’m sorry… it’s just a recurring nightmare. Every time I wake from it, I feel great agitation.”

Ronin sat down on the edge of the couch. “Do you want to talk about it? You listened to mine,”

Kamoshida shook his head. “I’m afraid this nightmare is much worse than yours.”

The servant rested his hand on his master’s shoulder. “I will listen, regardless.”

The ex-king looked at him a moment, before shaking his head with a scoff. “I appreciate the sentiment, Ronin… but I do not wish to speak of it. It is… well, it is based off a memory.”

“Oh. I see.” The servant sat in quiet contemplation for a moment, before standing up and grabbing his master’s hand. “In that case, let’s head down to the kitchen. I can make us some coffee and pancakes.”

“Wh--- at this hour?”

“Why not? It will be sunrise soon, and it is clear the night keeps bringing us troubled sleep.” Ronin gave him a grin. “Come on, you always say you like it when I cook!”

Kamoshida sighed, but gave his servant a smile. “Fine… I could use some coffee anyway.”

They made their way down the stairs and to the kitchen. By the time they got there, it was nearly dawn, and it was no surprise their invisible caterer already had the coffee prepared; as a change of routine, they had set out the ingredients and cooking supplies Ronin would need to make breakfast, as if knowing the lad had the desire to cook a comforting breakfast for his master.


	17. Chores and Conversation

“So, where did you learn to cook?” Kamoshida asked, watching as his servant prepared them some pancakes for breakfast.

“Ha, I’ve actually been cooking since I was a child,” Ronin answered, flipping one cake over. “How many pancakes do you want?”

“I’ll just have two, for now. …So you had to cook as a child?”

“Well, I did not _have_ to, I quite enjoyed it once I was taught; but I suppose it became a chore after some time. I was just thankful that in time I managed to grow into the apron!”

His master chuckled. “From your frail frame, I am surprised you can fit into anything.” He gestured to the apron the servant was wearing now--- it was large and went down past his knees. “Why, that apron you’re wearing now looks more like a dress on you!”

Ronin put his hands on his hips, giving the man a look. “This coming from the man who has portraits that depict him half-naked!”

Kamoshida almost spilled his coffee, giving the lad a look while blushing. “Oi! Don’t bring those up!”

The blonde smirked. “Don’t make fun of how I look in clothes, then… unless you want me to poke fun at your fondness of the color pink.”

He blushed deeper. “Those… are not based on actual events. They were just based on feelings.”

Ronin flipped the pancake onto a plate on top of another, handing the dish to him. “Feelings?”

“Yes… you see, the portraits are based off memories, and even memories of how you felt during a certain time. They tend to shift from time to time…” He grabbed his cup of coffee, carrying it out with his breakfast. “*ahem* Lets change the subject.”

Ronin turned off the stove, grabbing his own plate of pancakes and a glass of orange juice, following him out. “Sir… if it is alright, may I ask you questions about this place?”

“As long as they are not about what is hanging on the walls,”

The servant nodded; he thought about what he never saw within a frame, which anyone else would have on display. “Do you have family anywhere?” was the first thing he came up with.

Kamoshida shook his head, both of them sitting down at the table. “No. I never knew my parents, and my grandmother raised me, both of us travelling from one town to the next; she died when I was but ten, and I lived with a shopkeeper and his son for a few weeks until I became a squire. I then trained as a soldier and became a knight… and for the next several years, my time was spent taking part in battles and sleeping in the barracks.”

“So you never had a real home?”

He gave a soft chuckle. “I suppose you need a permanent roof over your head to call a place a home… but as they say, ‘home is where the heart is’. And my heart has been all over the land,”

Ronin leaned forth, intrigued. “What was it like, travelling to other places?”

“Ha, eat your breakfast first… then maybe I will tell you a few stories.”

…

After breakfast, Ronin got to the task of shoveling the walk now that the snow had ceased, Kamoshida walking beside him. “How far did you travel as a knight?” the servant asked.

“Quite far,” the ex-king answered, while helping him get a better hang on the shovel. “I believe the farthest I had ever gone (here, hold it like this, and plant the edge beneath the snow like this) is the Yakushima village. We actually had to sail on a ship to get there,”

“(thank you) So you have been out to sea? Have you ever encountered pirates?”

He sneered. “Only once, but not out at sea… Let me just say it is not exactly my fondest memory.” He looked at him. “I recall you are a fan of pirate tales,”

“Yes… but mainly for the idea of going on an adventure and seeing what lies beyond the coast,” Ronin continued to shovel. “Visit new islands, meet new people… even find buried treasure, somewhere!”

His master gave a somber chuckle, shaking his head. “Believe me, my encounter was far from thrilling. You have to keep in mind, pirates are known for---“

“Theft, murder, and being enemies of monarchy. I know. But… I have read tales where the pirates are not the true villains, but instead are the heroes fighting against a corrupt government.”

The ex-king was quiet a moment, before giving a nod. “I suppose so. …Best finish up the walk, it is growing quite cold out here,”

…

They went down to the laundry room, the servant scrubbing clothing and sheets; in an effort to help out (as well as do more than just stand around talking), the master hung up everything to dry on the clothesline connected between two walls. “So, this castle is enchanted, and you know much about it. How did you discover it?” Ronin inquired.

“Hmph, I did not quite ‘discover’ it… much like you, I merely came across this place seeking refuge, and ended up drinking the wine. Everything else I just managed to figure out over time.”

“What all can it do?”

“Heh, well for the most part, it can keep itself clean and provide decent meals. And if something is broken, it can be fixed within a day. …Honestly, it feels like being in a housewife’s dream-home.”

“And the portraits are about memories and feelings…”

“Yes.” The man grabbed a pillowcase, pinning it up on the line. “…I _have_ seen yours as well, you know.”

Ronin dropped a bar of soap into the barrel, quickly pulling it out. “Y-You have?!”

“Of course--- you could see mine, so it makes sense I could see yours, correct?” The master puts his hands on his hips, looking at the laundry he had hung up as if admiring his work. “It is mostly small children bickering. I take it you had quite a sibling rivalry growing up?”

“Well… you could say that.” Ronin continued to scrub, letting out a sigh. “I did not get along well with my sister. She is the oldest, and enjoyed pushing me around--- always telling me what to do, where to go, and if I did not heed her word she would box my ears; she always made comments that would put me down and, well… It was quite difficult living with her. Heh, be lucky you never had to deal with someone like her!”

Kamoshida let out a heavy sigh. “You would be amazed how well I know such a person,”

The servant looked up at him. “Sir?”

“I do not wish to talk about it. …Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? You did not rest well last night, and I do not want you to grow sluggish in your work.”

“Um, okay. Thank you, master.”

…

Ronin went to the servant quarters to retrieve his belongings; Kamoshida stated that due to the cold weather, it would be wise for him to sleep in a warmer room. He ignored the portrait on the wall, knowing very well it depicted the child at a grave.

 _I wonder what Papa would think of this situation…_ he thought as he picked up his satchel. _No doubt he would be telling me to go home, and set things right. He always told us it was best to make up after a fight…_

“Oh!” His foot caught on the rug and he almost fell, catching himself on the bedframe; his satchel dropped to the floor, his book falling out.

The servant picked it up and prepared to put it back in the satchel, but something about it caught his eye. The cover was well-polished as if brand new, and flicking through the pages he noticed there were no stains or smudges, and any page that had been torn out had been replaced!

It appears the magic of the castle had mended his book.

Smiling to himself and unable to wait, Ronin sat down on his bed and began to read from the first chapter.


	18. Ronin Learns the Truth

_The king was on his hands and knees in defeat. The thieves had stolen his crown and overpowered him… not only that, but had shown him the hard truth: he had abused his role, lied to his subjects, and had fallen from a brave hero to a treacherous villain._

_He did not want to believe it, but at the same time he could not deny it._

_The thief in red asked him if he were scared, bringing up that the female knight he had taken advantage of felt the same. She had a great vendetta against him…_

_Why would she not? She was the Romani girl he had tried to force to have relations with, and he had targeted her friend--- a woman who was like a sister to her!--- as a ‘substitute’ for his pleasure._

_And the pirate… he had his leg broken, and all his old comrades had turned against him after the king had them demoted in ranks, pinning the renegade as the blame. The rest of them were willing to turn a blind eye, knowing the king could give them a fate worse than hell, but the soldier-turned-pirate was bold and spoke against him… and so was turned into an example._

_Finally, there was their leader, the bandit who had been exiled to his kingdom and whom he had sentenced to be caught and executed alongside the pirate. He had heard rumors that the young man was guiltless, but he paid those stories no heed, and instead spread the slander that he was not to be trusted, that he was a criminal who had to be shunned. He had that scrawny soldier he abused pass the word around, before sentencing him to execution as well when the king found no further use for him._

_They all had justification to end his life…_

_But he was spared. They instead told him to confess to his crimes._

_He had stared at himself for a long time in the mirror that night, wondering at what point he had begun the downward spiral from an honorable knight to a lustful heathen._

_He decided he had to do what was right._

_He wanted to return to who he truly was… to become the man he wanted to be when he was young._

_But it was not easy. The moment he stepped up and announced to the entire kingdom… he broke down in tears, realizing what a monster he had become._

_There was no way he would be able to fix what he had done… all he could do was accept his punishment._

~*~

_‘…and so, with the corrupt king giving up his throne, the Phantom Thieves felt a celebration was in order. Little did they know, this was only the beginning of their tale, and in time more would join their band, for there were more hearts that were in need of change.’_

Ronin finished the first chapter, closing the book for a moment, his mind completely befuddled. _Perhaps I misread,_ he thought; perhaps his mind was still a bit weary from the lack of rest.

Turning to a page, he read a paragraph to confirm everything, and in doing so he felt his stomach churn. _‘…the tyrant was known as King Suguru Kamoshida; to many, he was seen as a hero and mighty king, but from what the pirate told the bandit it was all fabrication of what truly went on inside the castle walls. “He is a brute! He only pretended to care for the young soldier he had knocked down. Accident my ass! That wretch uses his mock battles to show off, and uses that as an excuse to abuse his weakest soldiers!” the pirate sneered.’_

The servant closed the book again, swallowing. With shaking hands, he turned the pages, reading another paragraph…

_‘The entire square looked up in a gasp, seeing the young knight standing on the edge of the palace wall; yet she was not keeping watch, but instead standing on the ledge. As if without a second thought, she threw herself off, falling to the ground! The people panicked, someone shouted for a doctor, the rest of the guards nearby rushing forth. The Romani girl screamed, rushing through the crowd and kneeling by her friend; by some miracle, she was still alive… and whispered to her gypsy friend._

_‘”The… The king did what…?” The Romani gasped, her eyes wincing as she was given a short but vivid story of how her knighted friend had been ordered to lay with him… in her place. She felt sick all of a sudden, recalling all the messages the king had sent her, demanding she become his mistress, and due to her constant rejections her friend was forced to be his chambermaid…’_

Ronin closed the book, sticking it back in his satchel. Even though he knew the story had a happy ending, that the Romani and the knight found peace, it was still unsettling that the one who had hurt them… who had hurt so many… was the man he referred to as ‘master’ now.

 _But… he changed…_ Ronin told himself, before shaking his head. _No! It’s just a story! It has to be a coincidence! There is no way the man in this castle is the same one in this book…_

“Augh!” The servant yelped, backing up on the bed. Upon looking up, his eyes accidentally fell upon the portrait on the wall across from him; but it did not depict a child in front of a grave this time.

In the portrait, the king had a raven-haired girl pinned down on his bed; her face was stained with tears, her expression full of anguish, whereas his was malicious, his eyes filled with lust, a cruel smile stretched across his face.

Ronin covered his eyes, turning away. He took in several gulps of breath before looking again, but the portrait did not change. The details were so vivid, as he could clearly tell it was his master in the picture, forcing a young girl into an act of fornication. Suddenly, he thought about all the lewd portraits he had seen… how many of the women in those paintings had been forced into such acts by his order? Thinking about the portraits where he was wearing practically nothing made the lad retch, shuddering to wonder what kind of ‘feelings’ he had that would stir up such images.

He could not take it anymore, and walked out of the room, rushing down the hall and ignoring all the portraits in fear of seeing something that would make him vomit from nerves. Reaching a hall with windows, he opened one up in order to breathe in some fresh air, as well as feel a cold wind on his reddened face.

Looking out at the snow-covered yard, watching the snowflakes gently fall, Ronin thought back to the crown in the tower room. He thought about Kamoshida’s outrage when he had seen the blonde by the open chest. He thought about how the man’s eyes were always full of regret and sorrow whenever the sensitive topic of his past was brought up.

Now the lad could understand why he never wanted to speak of it.

 _He is different, now._ The servant thought, resting his elbows on the window ledge as he peered out. _The tyrant in that book would not be so considerate to a total stranger… and anyway, I have no right to judge him, for I have a dark secret I am ashamed of as well._

“Ronin?”

The lad’s head jerked up at the mention of his name, and he looked over his shoulder.

Kamoshida stood nearby, looking at him while arching an eyebrow. “Why the hell do you have the window open?? Shut it quick, it is cold enough in this hallway as it is!”

“I-I’m sorry, sir. I suddenly needed some fresh air,” Ronin stammered, closing the window.

His master stared at him, studying the servant as if he could sense he was hiding something. “What’s going on? You seem startled,”

“Just my nerves, sir. I-I think the concept of living in an enchanted palace is starting to perturb my mind--- it’s so much to take in!” It was half-true, but he did not have the courage to explain the whole reason.

“Take a deep breath, then gather your things and go lay down in one of the spare bedrooms on the second floor.” He walked over, resting a hand on the boy’s shoulder; he could feel him shaking. “…and bundle up good, I don’t want you suffering another cold. You must be chilled from standing by the open window!”

“Okay… I’ll come back for my things later, o-once I’ve warmed up.” Ronin walked around him; he did not want to go back into the room and see what other twisted images that portrait would show him.

Kamoshida walked with him down the hall, before going around the corner towards the lounge. “And for God’s sake, find a way to calm your nerves. You act like you’ve seen a monster!”


	19. Leisure

For the next few days, Kamoshida kept an eye on Ronin. The lad’s nerves seemed completely shot, as he was growing pale and looked as if he had been losing sleep. It was a hunch that something was troubling the servant in his slumber, and the ex-king had to wonder what kind of twisted images would cause such a meek and mild soul unrest.

Perhaps it was because of the reason Ronin was trapped inside the palace. The master had seen the portraits and could easily piece together what he may have done, but something about it did not make sense...

All that he figured out was that Ronin was guilty for something that had happened during his childhood. There were more portraits that gave him a few hints of what else his servant was hiding, but they did not seem all that important. Rather, the ex-king felt it would be wise to go along with the charade, for both their sakes.

He looked at a portrait hanging on the wall in one of the corridors, while his servant was scrubbing the floor (not that it really needed done, as the castle had a way of keeping itself clean). In the portrait, there were two children kneeling in front of a grave, one of them placing flowers on top of it, both having tears in their eyes.

Walking over, the next portrait showed the younger of the two on the ground, looking as if the child had been knocked down, while the other was pointing at her younger sibling, yelling with an expression filled with anger.

And in the one after it… it depicted the ex-king, standing over a certain knight, anger on his face as well.

Kamoshida looked back over at Ronin. He felt that the lad did not deserve to be here, unlike him. But until he knew that for certain, until he opened up and told his full story, the master could not say a word. He would be patient with him, though.

The lad would tell him in time.

And honestly, he had more than enough of that to waste.

…

Once Ronin was done, the ex-king insisted he take a break. It was getting boring, watching him do chores that had already been done before they woke up, and had the boy come back into the lounge. Already, a tray of hot cocoa, coffee and cookies had been placed on the table to complement their leisure time.

“Read as much as you want,” Kamoshida told him, grabbing a book off the shelf to read. “There are hundreds of books here, and quite honestly nothing else to do.”

“A-Are you certain? I could get a head start on dinner,” Ronin insisted.

He shook his head. “Out of the question. You look like you’re falling ill, and I will not have you strain yourself. Plus, you look like you have not had a decent night’s sleep. Take it easy for a while, just until your mind is at ease.” He nodded over to the bookshelf. “Now, go on. Pick out a book or two. Or three. Or ten. How many you prefer,”

His servant looked at him curiously, but obliged. Walking over, he browsed all the shelves; soon, he was sitting in front of the fireplace, reading more of _Pirate Legend._ After he was finished, he opened a book titled _Magical Witch Detective._ When he finished _that_ book, he moved on to another… and by this time, the late afternoon sun was starting to sink into the horizon.

Unbeknownst to the servant, Kamoshida had left the room every few minutes, coming back in to find the lad was still reading. He chuckled to himself, finding it to be adorable; Ronin was like a little child, enjoying reading about tales of fascination and wonder. He leaned against the doorway; it was hard to believe the blonde was an adult…

He frowned a bit, wondering if Ronin had been abused to the point where it affected his growth…

Shaking his head from such thoughts, he walked over and sat down beside the lad. “What story are you reading now?” he asked.

Ronin gave a mild jolt, so invested in the story that he did not notice him! “Oh! Um…” he looked at the book again. “It’s a story about a pink alligator who befriends a little bird.”

“I see… is that not a children’s tale, though?”

“Ha ha, they say the same thing about fairytales about big bad wolves and wicked witches who eat children. But they all tell a story, often with a moral, and whether it is for child or adult it can take your mind on a journey.”

He smiled, shrugging. “Fair enough. What kind of moral does this story teach?”

“At first I believed it would be a story of individuality… but… then it got sad.” Ronin sat up, holding the book in his lap. “The alligator accidentally ate the little bird while he slept, and when he realized what he had done he cried so much he created a lake, and later died himself.” He turned the page. “In the end, the rest of the animals found the lake, not knowing where it had come from, but it helped them thrive. …To be honest, I do not quite know what moral it teaches.”

Kamoshida thought for a moment. “Well… the crocodile lost a friend, and in his sorrows created a lake that helped others survive. I guess it’s a story about how we leave an impact on others,”

“Ah. I see,” The lad looked up and out the window, finding it was already dark out. “Is it this late already??”

The ex-king chuckled, tussling his hair. “Come along, Ronin. Let’s have some dinner,”

Ronin followed him out. “I-I forgot time really flies when I’m reading a good book. I could have stopped somewhere and got started on---“

“I told you, I want you to take it easy. The castle pretty much takes care of itself as well as its occupants, so there’s really no need for you to feel like you have to get something done. Feel free to read a book, play a game of chess, play some music, paint a picture… I have a recreation room where you can dabble in the arts, you know. Feel free to put it to use in the meantime,”

“Um, alright… t-thank you, master.”

Entering the dining room, it was no surprise that a feast had been prepared for them already, as if their invisible caterer knew exactly when they would be coming in.

.~*~

_The ex-king watched from his balcony, seeing the Romani girl walking through the streets._

_She was perfect; beautiful and well blossomed. She was talking to one of the female knights, both of them being the best of friends, as many could tell._

_He had to have her._

_It started out well; she was quite warm to him, laying on a bit of charm as they spoke. He offered her a ride on his stallion one day, taking her to where she needed to go. He saw the people whispering to one another and smiled to himself; he had that scrawny night of his spread word that this girl was laying with him. He planned on making her his and his alone…_

_But she rejected his proposal. He began sending her messages, even warning that her knight friend would be removed from the ranks if she did not heed his call._

_Then the knight had tried to kill herself…_

_The former-knight, the bandit, and the scrawny knight had confronted him. He only sentenced them to execution, claiming they only had days to live… unless they left his kingdom._

_But it was he who had been forced to leave._

_He wandered the roads for days, unable to escape the guilt he harbored._

_That’s when he was told of a place he could hide. The directions given sounded like something out of a storybook, but in his state he could care less; he had nowhere else to go. Before he knew it, he was following a cat up to a gate, finding himself standing before a palace._

_He entered, and sat in the lounge, wondering who lived here…_

_A glass of wine was left for him; he felt startled, and wondered if this were a trap…_

_But he accepted it, feeling that if he were to be cursed or killed, he deserved it for the things he had done._

_And thus, his fate had been sealed._


	20. From Servant to Companion

As the winter days went on, Ronin began to forget his anxiety towards his master.

The servant’s new routine involved waking up, having breakfast, and then going to the recreation room. There was plenty to do, from playing music on an instrument of choice to painting to fencing. He was no good with music and had no experience in fencing, so he stuck with painting.

Kamoshida was still present, and while the lad worked on the canvas, his master would be practicing swordplay across the room.

“That is a lovely picture,” The ex-king complimented him one day as he walked over to see the blonde’s painting. It was a sunset over a green field.

“Do you think so? I feel like I did not blend the colors right,” the servant replied.

“Wait here,” He left, and within a few minutes returned with a book, flipping the pages until he found a picture of a sunset. “Here, now you have a good reference. See? You did pretty good!”

Ronin found himself blushing. “T-Thank you. Um, y-you’re really good at fencing!”

He gave a smile. “Well, it’s not as fun without an opponent. Would you like to try it?”

“I, uh… I would not know how…”

“I can teach you.” He handed him the second sword. “It will do you good to learn to defend yourself, anyway. Just follow my movements,”

Ronin did so, copying every swish, stab and stance Kamoshida made; his master showed him each way to block, how to dodge, and how to move swiftly. The lad was not very good at it when they tried having a mock-fight, as his movements were too slow and each motion was made with panic.

“You need to relax,” The ex-king told him, helping the boy to his feet after he fell on his rear for the third time. “You need to focus on your opponent’s movements, and be quick.”

“I told you I do not know how to do this…” Ronin muttered.

“You just need a little more practice. We have plenty of time to work on it,” He gave him a grin. “Just wait, I’m going to make you a warrior!”

…

When fencing brought forth exhaustion, the two decided to take a break, realizing it was already time for lunch. Afterwards, they went into the lounge and had another reading session. This time, Kamoshida asked if they could read together, mainly so he could remind his servant not to keep his nose in the book for _too_ long.

They sat in front of the fireplace, reading a story about a grim reaper who fell in love with a recently deceased girl. “ _’…but the girl felt she did not have a chance to live, having felt she lost everything, only to realize she never had anything. Overwhelmed with grief and anger, she tried to scratch out her eyes! Unable to see her in such pain, the Reaper decided not to take her to the afterlife; instead, he created a place where she could be happy and feel alive, while locking away their memories so that neither one of them could remember such sorrow. But even without his memory, the Reaper vowed to protect her, and the girl remained at his side, her heart yearning to remain with him forever. Yet their paradise was not well hidden, and that was when their friends from the land of the living had been summoned, not only to unlock the truth, but to undo what the Reaper had done and erase their realm of escapism.”_

“Let’s stop there,” Kamoshida suggested, stretching. They had been reading for a good three hours, he realized, and felt his muscles growing stiff from sitting on the floor for so long. “Are you ready for dinner?”

“Of course,” Ronin answered, putting the book back on the shelf. He followed his master out. “I have to ask, when would you like me to return to my chores? I am feeling better than I had the last few days,”

The ex-king rubbed the back of his neck. “To be honest, I forgot all about that. I feel it is unnecessary, considering you are always _searching_ for something to be done. It is quite tedious. I was actually thinking… we could keep doing _this.”_

The blonde looked at him, confused. “But… I’m your _servant._ That was our agreement, was it not?”

“I suppose… then you can serve me in a different way, not by doing chores, but being more of a companion. Spending time with someone helps this place feel more comfortable than a few shiny floors and polished banisters, wouldn’t you agree?”

Ronin put his hands on his hips, giving him a look. “Is something going on that I should know about?”

Kamoshida chuckled. “Don’t be so suspicious. I just feel it is more worth our time. I will admit, however, it is fun to watch you read--- your eyes are always lit up in wonder and you are so excited to find a new story, much like a child.”

“I’m not a child,” the lad paused and scowled when the ex-king patted him on the head.

“Ha ha, my mistake.” He stood up straight, holding his hand out towards the dining room ahead. “Shall we eat?”

Ronin looked up at him; suddenly he realized just how much taller the man was compared to him. He felt like a dwarf standing beside a giant. It was unsettling somewhat, but at the same time he felt calm. The newly proclaimed companion gave a nod, and followed the ex-king into the dining room.

…

“Oh! Look!”

Kamoshida looked at his companion, before looking out the window. “What is it?’ he asked.

“The sky is clear! It has been cloudy for so long I nearly forgot what the stars looked like,” Ronin stood up, walking over so he could peer out the window. “The moon is full again, as well.”

The ex-king thought for a moment, then smiled as he stood up. “Come with me. There’s a place where you can see it much better,”

His companion followed him up the stairs, and the lad wondered if they were going to the top floor to look out the upstairs windows. He paused when they approached the forbidden door. “We’re going up _there?”_

As the master unlocked the locks, he nodded. “Yes. …Don’t worry, this time you have my permission to enter,”

Ronin swallowed a bit, but followed him up the curving stairs. The lad’s eyes fell on the chest just then and he felt uneasy, quickly turning his eyes back on the master. The ex-king led him across the room and over to a window.

The companion’s eyes widened. The tower was much higher than he realized, for the sky was so open and wide it went on forever, and the moon felt so close he believed he could touch it. “This is amazing…” he gasped, looking out at the sparkling night sky.

Kamoshida stood beside him, smiling softly as he took in the view. “I spent many nights looking out from this point… but this is the first time in many months I have seen the stars again.” He said, quietly.

Ronin looked down, seeing the sparkling snow far down below, the whole area looking pure white. He could see the outline of the walls, and the treetops that could barely be seen through the surrounding fog that served as some sort of curtain for the domain, keeping it hidden from the world.

There was so much mystery to this place, but for the moment, he felt he could let his curiosity take a break and enjoy what all it had to offer.


	21. The Secret is Discovered

_The scrawny knight fell to his knees in pain, gripping his abdomen._

_“Get up!”_

_He struggled to his feet, legs shaking, but felt no strength left in him and he collapsed._

_The king stood over him, glaring at him with his condescending gaze. “Pathetic,”_

~*~

Ronin had fallen asleep while reading that afternoon, barely halfway through a new book when drowsiness had overcome him.

It was no surprise; he had woken up early in order to see the sunrise from one of the windows on the top floor, now that the skies had been clear for the last three days. Since he was awake at such an hour, he also felt like cooking breakfast, making omelets. His master was surprised when he entered the kitchen for his usual cup of coffee, only to see a pot had already been freshly brewed and a hot breakfast was waiting for him--- and the invisible caterer did not even have a hand in it!

After breakfast, it was clear the blonde was having a touch of ‘cabin fever’, as he wanted to go outside. “The snow is done falling, and there is so much of it! It is a perfect day to have fun in it!” he had exclaimed, and with a little persuasion managed to get the ex-king to step outside with him.

He started out building a snowman, and after having trouble lifting a heavy snowball to serve as the center piece, Kamoshida decided to step in and help, eventually completing the task with the lad. It was quite childish, but Ronin really seemed to enjoy crafting things out of the frozen snow, going on to build a snow _dog_ next!

The ex-king smirked to himself, having a mischievous idea. He ducked behind one of the statues that decorated the yard, and packed a snowball, throwing it and hitting Ronin right on the shoulder! The lad turned, giving him a determined look whilst smiling, and packed a snowball to retaliate. For the next ten to fifteen minutes, the two began ducking behind barriers and throwing snowballs at each other!

By the time they were worn out from such play, it was well after lunch, and their cloaks were soaked with melted snow, and both agreed to go inside. After some hot soup and sandwiches, they retired to the lounge, and thus when the servant drifted to sleep.

Kamoshida had to smile to himself. It had been ages since he enjoyed playing out in the snow. _Too bad this place does not have a hill nearby. I could have taken him sledding,_ he thought. He could not deny he was starting to get attached to his companion.

Yet such feelings concerned him. Suppose he reverted back to his twisted nature? He had a change of heart, that much was clear, but what if being alone with Ronin caused something within him to stir? Granted, he refused to see Ronin in such a way, but what if he became… desperate? It had happened before.

“Nngh!” He let out a grunt, gripping his chest, feeling a sharp pain. Just thinking about it put agony in his heart! He took a deep breath, walking out of the lounge. _No… I will not do such a thing to Ronin, nor anyone! I made a vow… I have changed…_

He walked down the halls, making a mental note to check on Ronin afterwards… not that he felt much of a reason anymore. The lad was very quiet, often meek, and always swept up in storybook tales. If he were pulling an act, what motive would he have? The master had doubts someone would hire an assassin after him, considering he had been banished and remained trapped inside a hidden castle for almost two years come spring; there was a chance people believed him to be dead anyway! Not only that, but it was clear the boy was truly terrified of him at first…

Though, the servant looked even more terrified in portraits. He passed by a certain one, where the young lad was running away in panic from a house, and on the front porch was an angry woman. He wondered if _she_ were the one chasing the boy in his night-terrors… or if she would become an apparition created to torment Ronin, manifested from his own guilt.

But that could not be it…

Such a thing could only be seen in the dungeon.

Kamoshida shuddered, recalling the first and only time he had gone down there. If he needed any influence to never revert back to his lecherous nature, all he had to do was look at the door at the end of the empty hall.

It was then he realized he had never shown Ronin that hall. It was an easy one to miss, being located on the ground floor, down a hall that held nothing but portraits and suits of armor, but after a few twists and turns the décor would grow scarce until you entered a hall that had none… and there the door would be.

It would be best if he warned his companion about it now. Unlike the tower, the dungeon held something far more unnerving than a chest full of secrets.

Looking forward, the ex-king realized that he had not been paying attention to his wandering and had ended up in the servants’ hall. He began to turn around, only to see that the door to Ronin’s old room was open!

As he walked over, he noticed that there was a satchel lying on his old bed. _He must have forgotten to come back for his things,_ he thought, and picked up the little bag, walking down the hall towards the lounge.

“W-Whoa!” The ex-king gasped when his foot caught on the edge of the hallway rug, causing him to trip and fall onto the floor with a loud ‘ _thud!’_ that echoed down the corridors. “…ow...”

As he sat up, while wondering if he and Ronin shouldn’t roll up the carpets to prevent any _more_ falls, he noticed that he had dropped the satchel, and a book had fallen out of it. Funny, his companion never mentioned having brought his _own_ storybook; the idea that he had tried stealing it from the lounge was absurd, especially since it did not look like any of the books he had seen before--- and given that he had spent _plenty_ of time in the palace to have read practically every novel at least three times, he had doubts he had overlooked one.

Picking it up, Kamoshida looked at the cover.

Suddenly his heart sank to his stomach and he felt his blood turn cold.

_The Phantom Thieves of Hearts._

He knew that name all too well. It was a name that gave him chills every time he heard it; memories of finding a calling card on his throne, learning his treasure room had been infiltrated, and coming oh so close to a violent execution shot through his mind. But… but… those rebels already had a book written about them?! Had he been locked away from the world longer than he believed?

 _It must be a coincidence… it must be! Please, God, let it just be some sort of fluke!_ The ex-king thought, his right hand shakily holding up the book by its spine, while his left timidly opened it, feeling as if he were handling sharp glass. Perhaps it was just another fairytale book, and actually served as _inspiration_ for the band of renegades’ reputation! It was not so uncommon, as he heard of mercenaries and vandals alike name themselves after the characters from their favorite childhood stories, mainly due to lack of creativity to make up their own titles.

The first chapter confirmed his anxiety, however. He covered his mouth, trying to steady his breathing; there was a picture of him, glaring down at the bandit and the pirate. It was drawn in a cartoonish manner, the picture black and white, save for red ink that colored his robe. Closing the book he drew deep breaths, fearing he was going to collapse at the fact that someone had _written a book_ about what he had done! He did not expect any of this to be told outside his realm, except maybe in future history lessons, but now? And as a storybook tale, of all things!

Realization came to him just then, and he felt his panic turn into bitter resentment. This was _Ronin’s_ book. _Ronin_ had brought this book with him. _Ronin_ had read this tale before, learned who he was and what he had done…

_Ronin knew all along._


	22. Run and Hide

Ronin stirred from his nap, feeling a weight on his chest. Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see a cat lying on top of him! The same cat from before, with big blue eyes, black fur, and a white muzzle and white paws. He also noticed it had a little yellow scarf around its neck. “You again?” the companion questioned, though his tone was more calm than confused, as he was growing used to all the oddities the castle had to offer.

“Meow,” the cat answered.

Ronin sat up, the cat crawling off his abdomen and sitting on the spot beside him. “Do you live here?”

The cat scratched its ear, before hopping off the couch and walking away. The blonde decided to do the same, stretching a bit as he walked across the room; it was then he noticed the absence of Kamoshida. “I wonder where Master has gone?”

Following the cat into the hallway, he began to look. Certainly the man would not have gone too far, as he did not want to leave his companion unsupervised. He looked in the dining room, then the kitchen, but the ex-king as not there.

 _Perhaps he is in the restroom,_ Ronin figured, knowing there was a bathroom in the hall adjacent to the lounge. He was probably finishing up now, and was on his way back.

The cat followed him every step of the way. It was a funny little creature, he had to admit, and wondered if perhaps it were a witch’s cat; he read fairytales where witches and wizards kept felines to serve as spies for their enemies, hunters to attack victims who had been hexed into mice, or just as companions as they were the only creatures who were not afraid of magical beings.

It was then the lad realized this was the same cat who led him to the palace in the beginning. “Do you guard this place?” he asked it.

“Meow,” it answered, rubbing against his leg.

“I see. …Did you lead Master here as well?”

The cat looked at him, before continuing its walk. Either that meant that it did, or perhaps it was just ignoring the question.

“Good heavens, I’m having a conversation with a cat!” The blonde remarked, slapping his forehead. “I must be going crazy… what’s really odd is that I think you’re actually listening!”

The cat only scampered off. Ronin did not chase it this time, deciding that if the cat turned up once, it would turn up again. He would have to talk to Kamoshida about it, and see what he knew.

_*THUD!*_

Ronin turned his head at the noise; it seemed to come from the next hall! “What on earth…?” he wondered, and walked in the direction of the noise. He hurried over, looking around the corner.

Just in time to see his master looking at a book. The man’s complexion was pale, and there was a tremble in his grasp. Had he been reading a frightening tale?

Before the lad called to him, his eyes fell on something on the ground… his satchel! Drat, he had forgotten it in his old room…

His heart stopped, as he realized Kamoshida had found the book. Out of panic, he ducked behind the corner, steadying his breath and trying hard not to hyperventilate. Swallowing, he peered into the hall, just in time to see his master’s face contort from stricken fear to absolute fury!

**_“RONIN!!!”_ **

The amount of rage in his tone mixed with the sheer volume of his outburst would have rendered anyone frozen in place, but the blonde was already racing down the hall in the direction from whence he came.

This was bad. No, ‘bad’ did not define the situation good enough--- this was a worst-case scenario! Kamoshida had found the book that told a story of his crimes, and found out Ronin had read it! _Dammit, I should have just destroyed the book while I had the chance!_ The lad thought, though wondered if it would have mattered, as by some means of magic the novel had been mended.

The companion should have just told him about it from the start. He wished he had shown him that the castle had fixed a book that had been ruined. He could have pretended that he found the book on the shelf and made it seem like another mysterious act of the castle, or claimed he had yet to read it… but he was a terrible liar, and the ex-king would discover his fib.

It did not matter now. Kamoshida was furious with him for hiding the book. Maybe he even believed the lad had known from the start, and everything had been an act, feeling his trust had been betrayed…

The blonde was coming up to a dead end; quickly, he made a sharp turn down to another hallway. He could hear the thundering sound of footprints echoing in the hall behind him. _Shit! He’s fast!_ Ronin thought in panic; he should have known, considering how strong his master looked, and he desperately prayed that he could be fast enough to outrun the older man.

Lightning flashed, as a storm had begun to brew outside; why there was a thunderstorm all of a sudden during the snow season, the blonde had no time to wonder, but the odd change in weather made him feel like he was in a horror story. _‘And so the boy ran as fast as he could, fearing that he would not get to live to see another day… that is, unless his master had something worse than death in mind for punishment,’_ the narration would probably say in this moment.

Turning another corner, Ronin saw the double doors of the entrance up ahead. He dare not run outside again, for the ground would be too slick to tread upon, and there was nowhere he would be able to hide. His eyes fell upon another hallway to the left, and he quickly ran down it.

The footsteps behind him seemed to be getting louder. “ _Ronin!”_ Kamoshida shouted once more, his voice still filled with anger.

Ronin kept running, his legs feeling as heavy as stone and his lungs burning. He had not been this scared since the night he first ran away from home, needing to find a place to hide. _Where can I find a good room to hide in?_ he thought, but saw nothing but suits of armor and portraits as he ran by.

What if this would be how he spent the rest of his life? Hiding in different parts of the castle in order to avoid his master until the day they both died, and a folktale being told about how their spirits continued their terrifying game of hide-and-seek.

He slowed down, running out of breath, ducking inside a nook while hoping Kamoshida was not nearby. “Ronin! Where are you?! Come out here, NOW!” he was yelling, still furious; he was not too far off.

 _I shouldn’t have run from him… I should have just faced him and accepted my punishment…_ Ronin thought, tears running down his face; but fear made him believe that it was too late now, that by making his master pursue him only made things worse, and he feared what kind of ‘punishment’ the man would give him…

Something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention just then. Down a long, empty corridor stood a door. It had a small barred window, and a heavy latch keeping it locked shut. _A d-dungeon?_ The blonde thought, not recalling being told about it… then again, every castle had a dungeon, he realized.

He could hear footsteps echoing. He could not hide in a nook forever… and chances are, he would no doubt be locked away for his ‘act of betrayal’ anyway…

The blonde ran down the empty hall to the door. Despite how heavy the lock was, he managed to slide it out of place, the door creaking open. Down below was dark, giving him no hints of what may be hidden down the steps.

“ _Ronin!”_

Without hesitation, Ronin slipped through the door and shut it behind him, descending down the stairs into the dungeon.


	23. Descending into the Dungeon

Keeping close to the inner wall, Ronin entered the lowest floor of the palace, his eyes trying to adjust to the dark. He tread carefully, not wanting his footsteps to cause an echo should his master hear… and he so desperately did not wish to be found by him.

He gasped, almost stepping off a ledge, and after toeing around he found that the stairs made a sharp right turn, and he carefully continued his descent. _I should not be doing this. I should go back. I cannot hide forever. I will only keep making things worse!_ he kept telling herself, but stubbornly he ignored his own advice and continued onward.

Making things worse…

That was the summary of his entire life, he felt.

Yes, it would be best if he stayed in the dungeon for a while. He did not deserve freedom.

As the blonde made his way down the steps, he ended up thinking about Kira. What had become of her? Was she still searching for Ronin? He could imagine his sister wandering the roads as an old crone, telling any passerby the tale of how her ‘jackass of a sibling’ ran away and let them lose everything. Or perhaps she still had search parties going on, perhaps promising a large reward for anyone who found Ronin.

The only one not looking for him would be Sugimura. The young heir had come to town, and made an offer that Ronin refused, though Kira would not let the blonde have a say. While she enjoyed the wealth Sugimura shared as a ‘sample’ of the life he promised them, Ronin was getting insulted, slapped, and bossed around by the young noble. Perhaps now that he was gone, Sugimura would probably take off to the next town, perhaps to find a woman desperate enough to settle down with such a chauvinist.

A thought occurred to him: suppose Kira would be that desperate? With Ronin no longer around to work and a hefty debt to pay, his sister would no doubt become Sugimura’s bride. Ha! What a couple they would make: a wife who kept demanding expensive gifts, and a husband who would order her to be silent on a regular basis. Ronin could practically hear the sound of dishes breaking!

…but he had doubts. Kira, though selfish and unkind, was too strong to let any man boss her around. The blonde had seen her tell off a few burly men who wished to get fresh with her, and smash a bottle over their heads when they would not heed her words! Sugimura would not wish to wed someone who had the capability of fighting back, and no doubt took back all the luxuries Kira bought with his money.

Ronin bit his lip… that meant they had nothing now. No home, no belongings, they did not even have a family anymore. Kira would end up in the poor house or as a beggar in the streets… meanwhile, the blonde was down in a dungeon, the last person he ever felt a bond with furious at him because of his dishonesty.

 _I have nothing…_ Ronin thought, his feet finding the bottom of the steps.

He let out a heavy sigh. He felt he did not deserve anything. Every good thing that he ever had, he always lost in some way…

The most valuable being the love of another.

Ronin sat down, thinking back to that one summer when he was fifteen. He had gone down to the docks to fish; he was not good at it, but he had no money to go to the market and he had to put food on the table somehow!

A young lad, perhaps younger than him by a year, had notice his struggle with baiting the hook, as the blonde stabbed his finger and dropped the worm in the water. The stranger offered his assistance, giving Ronin his handkerchief to stifle his wound while he showed the blonde how to bait a hook, then how to cast a line and when to reel it in.

His name was Madoka, and he had become the first friend Ronin had made in years.

Madoka was intelligent, knowing how to navigate by the stars and name all the constellations; he was kind, always patient with the blonde while teaching him how to fish and such, while listening to all his problems; he was well-spoken, knowing how to talk to people to a point even the most roughest characters would be impressed; he was also strong and swift, knowing how to fight….

As it turns out, Madoka was a pirate, and Ronin fell in love with him by the end of that summer.

Madoka claimed he had decided to stay on land for a few weeks, namely as his ship had sunk during a storm, and he was separated from his mates. He put to rest all the tales that were told of pirates, how they were nothing but bands of murderous cutthroats… indeed, he admitted there were some like that, but not all pirates were known for murdering and pillaging. Some just sailed for the thrill of adventure, having no ties to anything and being free.

He invited Ronin to join him when he planned on boarding a ship; granted, they would be working as cabin boys, but he claimed it was worth it in the opportunity to explore the seas. Ronin was ready to join him…

But on the dawn of their departure, Madoka had never arrived. Ronin learned that he was accused for being a criminal, and the law got their hands on him and he was being sent to the capital to be hung.

He remembered running down the streets, hollering at the coachman escorting the pirate to stop, begging that his friend was innocent; Kira ran after him, pulling him back and forcing the blonde to return home, calling him a fool for befriending ‘some filthy renegade’.

But Madoka was no such thing. To Ronin… he was the perfect gentleman and true friend; he had spoken softly to him, held him in his arms when he would feel burdened, and did not kiss the blonde until he was sure he had his consent.

It was a short-lived romance, but it felt like it lasted a lifetime. Ronin had cried many tears for Madoka, but eventually was forced to move on from those sweet memories, especially when they caused him too much pain.

Sobbing echoed in the dungeon…

But it did not belong to Ronin.

Looking ahead, he saw a faint glow around the bend: a reddish tint that gave a dim light to the underground vicinity, highlighting the silhouettes of dungeon cells. Someone was sitting inside one of them; it was a man, his back was to the lad, and all he could make out were broad shoulders. He was not wearing anything, and out of decency Ronin quickly looked away, backing up.

Was Kamoshida keeping someone prisoner all this time?!

 _“He’s known… he’s known all along… he hates me… they all hate me… they have a right to hate me…”_ the prisoner was whimpering, and their voice sounded familiar.

Gathering his courage, Ronin began to step forth and ask them who they were, when there came more sobbing from the next cell.

_“It’s all my fault…”_

The blonde walked over, peering in and stifling a gasp. Standing there was a young girl… her hands stained with blood, with a bit on her cheek. Her eyes were glowing yellow, as she stared ahead.

What was most terrifying was the girl looked exactly like him, like some sort of ghostly twin!

“W-What the hell…?” Ronin gasped, quickly backing away from the cell… and bumping into someone. Turning sharply, he nearly had a heart attack.

Standing before him was a man with short, graying brown hair, a thick beard, fair skin, and glaring down at him with an expression filled with anger and disappointment. Ronin recognized him, even after all these years…

“F-Father?!”


	24. Shadows

Ronin was but ten when he had last seen his father, but in the last eleven years he never forgot his face. His pictures hung in their old home, his expression always bearing a warm smile, a twinkle in his eye, and having his arms around one if not both of his children, his loving embrace always full of welcome and security.

But the man before him did not emit such affection, instead glaring at the lad with bright yellow eyes that pierced his very soul, his lips twisted into a scowl, and his stance was firm as if preparing to hit someone. _Is he a ghost?_ Ronin thought, staring at him in pure fear.

“Ronin…” he spoke, and it sounded as if he had two voices, one echoing over the other. “What have you done?”

“I… I-I’m sorry…” The blonde stammered, while desperately trying to figure out what exactly was going on! Was the dungeon hexed as well, haunted by apparitions? Suddenly he felt coming down here was the worst option he could have taken! “Father… how… how are you here??”

“Do not address me as your parent, wretch!” The apparition spat, stomping forth and causing him to yelp. “You are no child of mine… My children would not abandon their family like you have done, or let themselves fall into debt and lose the home your mother and I had worked so hard to build!”

 _“It’s all my fault… I should have stayed…”_ The doppelganger of Ronin wept, covering her face with her bloodied hands.

“Abandon… Y-You mean how I ran away?” Ronin stammered, facing the apparition of his father. “B-But… I could not go through with it! Sugimura--- he was a swine! A-And Kira was just going to let him abuse me, just for her own---“

“Kira was making a sacrifice for the family!” The apparition interrupted, roughly grabbing him by the shirt. “She knew no man would want such a strong and independent woman to wed, for that is not how a woman should act as a wife! But you… YOU were more suited for doing chores, cooking, and cleaning, being the obedient young lady a man wished to come home to. But you were selfish! You were against all traditions to the point where you denied your true role in life!”

Ronin shook his head. “He hit me!”

The apparition gently released him. “Child….” He then smacked Ronin across the face, knocking him to the ground! “That is how discipline works! Do you not recall how I would whip you with my belt when you misbehaved?! It is a man’s job to keep those in his house in line! It seems like I was not strict enough with you… considering all the problems you have caused,”

 _“I’m sorry… I do not deserve freedom… I do not deserve love…”_ His doppelganger sobbed.

Ronin shook his head. “No… I… You don’t understand! Kira was the one who---“

“Kira did not let the horses loose that day. That was your fault. I had told you to wait, that I would help you learn to ride, but you were an impatient little brat! And look what happened…” The apparition stood over him. “You have no father, and because of your rebellion, you have no sister, no home, nothing! Everything has been lost, and it’s all because of you!”

 _“I’m sorry… Father, I’m so sorry!”_ His doppelganger wailed.

“Silence, you brat!” The apparition snapped at it, and he took off his belt… which transformed into a leather whip in his grasp. With a _‘crack!’,_ he struck the young girl who resembled Ronin.

The blonde felt a pain in his chest watching the girl in the cell suffer. He quickly got back to his feet and turned to run away, but the apparition cut him off. “S-Stop… please! I-I had no other choice!” Ronin whimpered. “I’m sorry for what I had done, but… please, forgive me!”

“I said _silence!”_ The apparition smacked him with the back of his hand; the blonde ended up slamming into the first cell’s doors.

The other prisoner in the cell gasped, turning and facing him, but in the dim light he could only make out another pair of yellow eyes. The entity that resembled his father grabbed him by the back of his shirt-collar, pulling him with full force and tossing him back, making the blonde roll across the stone floor. _Something is wrong… father would never do this to me! Unless… is he that angry with me?_ Ronin thought, tears running down his face.

He looked in the cell, seeing his doppelganger’s face was bleeding from where the whip had struck. _“I deserve this… I deserve to be beaten… to die…”_ she was whimpering.

Ronin winced, curling up on his hands and knees, his shoulders shaking. That’s right… he had come down here as a self-inflicted punishment, after all. He had screwed up time and again… perhaps it was due time he paid the price for his mistakes.

…

_“You don’t deserve this…”_

A new voice cut through the dungeon; it came from the other cell. The voice also spoke with an echoing tone, and the blonde looked over seeing the other prisoner stepping forth. His eyes widened, now realizing why the voice was so familiar. It was a doppelganger of Kamoshida!

Ronin was startled, as it looked similar to the image in the raunchy portraits--- he was practically bare, wearing a tight pink garment that did not do well to conceal his groin; he kept her eyes on his own, seeing a sadness in them. “H-Huh?!”

 _“It is I who deserves pain and affliction… I deserve to be despised… whatever you have been accused of, it does not compare to the acts I have done.”_ His master’s doppelganger spoke in a sad tone; he turned and faced the other cell, facing the blonde’s own doppelganger. _“You do not deserve this…”_

 _“Yes I do…”_ Ronin’s doppelganger replied, shaking. _“I betrayed your trust… I’m sorry!”_

_“I have done worse… so much worse…”_

Ronin stood up. “Who… are you?” he questioned.

“BE STILL!” came a shout from his father’s apparition, and this time he grabbed him by the back of his hair and threw him into the wall! His whip suddenly became a sword. “It is time I taught you a lesson, once and for all!”

Ronin screamed, shielding himself as the apparition lunged, raising his sword high and bringing it down!

_‘Clang!’_

The sound of steel crashing against steel resounded in the dungeon, and the blonde looked up, both relieved and stunned as he saw Kamoshida--- his real master--- standing between him and the apparition, his own sword blocking the blade!

With a mighty grunt, his master shoved the apparition back, looking back at the lad. “Just so you know… you are in a world of trouble!” he told him, before turning back towards the attacking entity.

_~*~_

_The Phantom Thieves were stealthy, that much the king had to credit them for. He had heard reports from his guards that ‘mysterious characters’ had been seen sneaking through the corridors. In fact, he had even encountered two of them. They fought well, but the king managed to escape the battle, ordering his guards to track them down and dispose of them._

_Then came a third, and he left his Captain of the Guards in charge of them. It was clear they were not to be underestimated, and he ordered all his guards to keep an eye out. When he received their calling card, he had to be crafty._

_He lied in wait, and when they tried to make off with his treasure--- the crown that was the symbol of his reign over the kingdom--- he ambushed them. The king had prepared himself to take down these thieves once and for all._

_But in the end, the tables had been turned in their favor._

_For the first time in years, he felt weak and afraid…_

_Perhaps it was because the thieves had something worth fighting for, and it was not his crown. No… they fought to protect the subjects of the kingdom, a feat he had lost sight of so long ago._


	25. Pursue and Rescue

**_“RONIN!!!”_ **

The moment Kamoshida bellowed for his servant, he heard the sound of receding footsteps rushing down the forward corridor. Immediately, he took pursuit.

He was seeing red. _All this time…! He knew, all this damn time!_ The ex-king thought in fury, charging down the hall, only stopping to listen to where the lad was running, before pursuing in that direction.

The book was clutched in his hand, so tight that he felt he could crack the spine. He wanted to rip all the pages out of the book, to burn it! But first he was going to confront his ‘companion’ for hiding this from him!

The boy’s footsteps were echoing down the main hall, and the ex-king sprinted that way. His mind was blank with rage… with _hurt_. He had been trying all this time to avoid the subject of his past, never wanting the blonde to learn about the things he had done, but it was all in vain; he had read it all…

What was most infuriating was the idea that the tale was told from the point of view of the thieves themselves, or perhaps one of his victims; it was hard to say, as the writer did not credit their name. Mishima, though scrawny and inept, was an excellent source of information; it was practically the only use Kamoshida thought he was good for, especially for starting rumors around the kingdom. It would not surprise him if that sickly knight were the author!

He knew what he had done was disgusting and downright cruel, but when the story is told by the ones who had been hurt, all details were known to be described as far worse than the reality of the situation itself. He dared not look to see what all had been said--- seeing the portraits describe it all was bad enough!

 _“Ronin!”_ He shouted once more as he entered the main hall. He ran down to the doors and pried them open, looking outside; nothing but stormy weather greeted him, and he had doubts the lad was stupid enough to brave a thunderstorm. He heard the echo of footsteps once more, coming from the right hall near the stairs.

As he pursued, he thought back to several days ago when Ronin looked shaken and anxious while leaving his old room in the servant’s hall. To find he had left his book in that room, it was clear now what was the cause behind his timidity; with that in mind, it was safe to say he had only learned his tale _that day_ … and it put an ache in the master’s chest, realizing he was the cause of the lad’s nerves, and despite the ex-king had shown him kindness, supported him, _practically bonded with him,_ the companion did not feel the need to talk to him about it!

Later on, the ex-king would understand why, but in the current moment he did not give a damn. All he could focus on was the fact that Ronin had lied to him for several days, broken what little trust they had with each other.

Kamoshida slowed down his pace, looking around the hall decorated with suits of armor and paintings. “Ronin! Where are you?! Come out here, NOW!” he demanded, growing more and more impatient the longer the blonde avoided him.

Ronin was either faster than he had believed, or being stuck inside a castle for God knows how long had affected the master’s agility, for somehow his traitorous servant had managed to keep ahead of him. His anger only continued to build, as he turned down a hallway.

“ _Ronin!”_ He shouted once more; dammit, could the boy not tell that his master’s fury increased the more he made him continue with this ludicrous chase?!

He entered another hallway, making a sharp turn and running down the hall; he turned to the left, which only had one corner, and around it was a dead end. He turned around and ran in the opposite direction, coming across yet another fork in the road. Both ends led to a dead end, one which had a window showing the foul weather outside. He retreated back.

There were no rooms to be seen in this hallway, only a nook or two. This hall was more for décor than vacancy, just something one would use to entertain guests on a tour. He paused in his search, noticing these were the hallways he had never shown his servant… and not far off was the dungeon he had yet to warn him about!

“Shit!” Kamoshida cursed to himself, heading towards the barren hall. He hoped Ronin was wise enough not to try to hide in an unfamiliar room, but it was then he realized that his enraged bellows may have given him a sense of desperation!

He entered the hall, and was surprised to find a cat sitting near the door. He ignored it, walking over and finding to his dismay the latch had been moved… his servant was down there. Out of shock, he dropped the book.

The ex-king gulped. No, Ronin couldn’t be that stupid! Even if he did _not_ know what was down there, he would have avoided entering such a place! Perhaps he had hid in a nook, watching the ex-king run down the opposite hall, and quickly ran over and unlocked the door before running out of this maze of corridors!

He looked at the book that he held in his hand. If the lad were that smart, he would have been smart enough to try and destroy this novel, if not hide it where it could never be found. Turning around, he ran over to the nearest suit of armor, drawing its sword from the sheath and returning to the door.

Part of him hoped that Ronin was not down there… and if he was not, having been smart enough to dupe the master, he had better be praying Kamoshida would never find him after making him tread down these Godforsaken steps. But if the boy _was_ down there…

Without hesitation, Kamoshida ran down the steps; he had to be careful, knowing there was a drop-off point in the middle, turning sharply before he could fall over the edge and racing down.

Just in time to see the display before him.

A Shadow of a man stood before Ronin, who was watching someone in the cells. The Shadow ended up throwing the lad into the wall, holding up a sword and preparing to strike…!

Kamoshida rushed forth, blocking the blade with his own and pushing the Shadow away. He looked back at Ronin, a quick glance but it was enough to see the bruise forming on his face. “Just so you know… you’re in a world of trouble!” he warned his servant, before facing the Shadow.

The Shadow snarled, lunging at him, but the ex-king still recalled plenty of his tactics from his years on the battlefield to know when to block, dodge, and strike; the two of them clashed swords, until the Shadow faked a dodge and instead stabbed forth---

Kamoshida grunted, bending over, the sword cutting his side. The Shadow laughed. “Now you will know not to interfere when a man is disciplining his---“ the Shadow began to taunt, but the ex-king ended up shooting up on his feet and swinging his blade, slicing the apparition’s neck!

Smoke billowed out from its throat, before the Shadow evaporated as if it were made of mist. Standing up, the ex-king lifted his arm, finding there was but a mild cut in his side… but if there was anything he learned from being in the palace, such wounds would not last long before healing.

His own Shadow was watching silently, looking over into the next cell before turning away in shame, retreating back into its corner. The ex-king looked into the neighboring cage, his eyes widening at the sight of another Shadow, this one depicting Ronin, standing there with bloodied hands and a gash on her face; the smaller Shadow seemed to look up at him with a trembling lip, before turning away as well.

Kamoshida then turned and faced Ronin, who sat on the ground, a mix of fear and confusion covering his face. The ex-king stepped forth; the lad managed to snap out of his shock and looked at him, fear remaining on his face. “M-M-Master! I…” he began to stammer.

The man raised his hand, silencing him. Helping the boy stand up, the ex-king kept his arm around him, leading him towards the stairs; they walked backwards, and he kept his sword drawn in case any other maleficent Shadows dared to attack. Once they were far enough from the cells and near the stairs, he lowered his weapon, and both of them ascended upward, not speaking a word until they were back in the hall and the dungeon door was shut and locked behind them.

The book was still on the floor. Bending down, Kamoshida picked it up, leaving the sword in its place; Ronin opened his mouth to speak, but could not find the words, only looking at the ground.

They walked in silence until they were back in the main hall, and that was when the master released the lad from his arm, stepping in front of him. He handed him the book, crossing his arms; he was still furious, of course, despite his relief. He demanded answers, even more so after seeing what was in the dungeon.

Ronin looked up at him, his eyes brimming with tears; he was biting his lip so hard he drew blood… before covering his face and letting out a heavy sob. “I’m sorry…!” he gasped out, his voice having a rasp, as if he had been crying it raw… which, judging from the state he had been in, was probably true. “Whatever punishment you wish to give me, I accept! I had no right to… b-but the book was torn up after I first bought it, and I did not know… I should have… aaaaaahhh!” He fell to his knees, tears gushing out of his eyes.

Kamoshida let out a breath. There was only one way to settle all this. He knelt down in front of his trembling companion, resting a hand on his shoulder. The blonde looked up at him with fearful eyes, tears running down his face.

“I believe… it’s time we stopped keeping secrets,” The ex-king advised.


	26. From Knight to King, from King to Monster

The rain continued to pour outside, drops sliding off the windowpanes as if the elements wished to match the moods of both Ronin and Kamoshida. The two sat in the dining room, two cups of tea left for them, but remained untouched. The ex-king had his hands interlocked in front of his face in quiet thought, as if he were wondering where exactly they should begin in their confessions. Likewise with his companion, he stared at his lap, his mind in such a frenzy he felt he would vomit.

A clock chimed three times. Thunder rolled.

The master drew in a deep breath, closing his eyes as he did so, before finally speaking. “What all did that book say about me?”

Ronin looked up, swallowing. “It… mentioned you were a king--- um, of course… and…”

“Ronin,” Kamoshida folded his arms on the table, giving the lad a calm but firm glance. “You have seen the portraits, and I know the details far better than I wish I did. There is no cause to be nervous now; I just want to know how much you learned,”

The blonde nodded, taking a deep breath before laying the book on the table, turning to the page where the tyrant was first introduced. “It said you ruled a kingdom, and a lot of subjects--- supposedly--- looked up to you. A-A pirate with a limp--- he’s named Skull--- claimed that you were a liar and abused your power.” He turned a few more pages. “It goes on to say that you gave a ride to a Romani girl--- called Panther--- who had charmed you, but when she refused your proposal for her to become your mistress, you… you went after her best friend, who was a knight in your army. The more Panther refused you, the more her friend suffered, and… and you also mistreated a knight constantly, and even spread rumors about the bandit--- Joker—who had already been falsely accused of a crime and was exiled to your kingdom…”

The ex-king sighed, sitting back. “So it mentions everything… Well, then I suppose there is no reason for me to hold back the truth.”

“M-Master, wait.” Ronin raised his hand. “If it is too much for you to share, you do not have to! It was your own personal business, and this book had no right to---“

The master slammed his fist on the table. “It had every right!” His tone was like that of a growl, before he rubbed his face, forcing himself to calm down. “I want to tell you. I _need_ to tell you. It is time we lay out all our secrets on the table, and it is only fair that I confess mine first considering I had kept you in the dark since the day your fate was sealed. All I ask is that you listen.”

The lad sat back, giving a solemn nod and deciding to let him continue.

Kamoshida sat back in his chair, recalling everything he wished to forget. “I suppose it started at some point in my days as a knight. I was a fierce warrior, vigilant in battle and never backing down from a foe. I was deemed a hero, earning a medal of honor, and my reputation spread throughout the land. One day, I was dubbed as a king’s bodyguard… and as years went by and he produced no offspring, he declared me his heir to the throne when his health began to wane. It felt like a great honor, but as they always say, ‘with great power comes great responsibility’… and I was not fit for such responsibility.

“It was like an endless chore. I had to learn how to carry myself in sophistication and grace, while tend to matters of an entire kingdom. Day by day, I had to read over and sign documents, listen to the concerns and complaints of the citizens, check on resources, review the royal guard, and work with trades amongst other kingdoms. There came the paranoia of spies, assassins, declarations of war, droughts and poverty; then there was the royal council who told me that I had to conceive an heir, as they did not wish for every king to just ‘pick someone’ when age caught up to him!

“Eventually… I felt I had _earned_ this position. I recall myself referring to my subjects as hyenas who only wanted something from me, and deluded myself into thinking that every eligible woman wanted to be my queen, and that if I wanted a strong army to stand against any threat I would have to train them myself! Thus, I decided to use my authority to… get whatever I wanted.

“I had convinced the council that it was _my_ training of the guards that kept the kingdom protected, that it was _my_ reputation amongst the people that kept it flourishing. And if something went wrong, I would convince someone else that it was their own fault. If anyone on the council spoke against me, I would disclose secrets, if not create fabricated rumors about them that would force them to resign or be dismissed. The male knights I forced to do intense training, far more severe than the training I had gone through, and the female nights I… I did perverse things to. None of them spoke against me, knowing it was better to turn a blind eye, or else risk losing their status.

“The only one who spoke up was a rebel known as Sakamoto Ryuji. He stood up against me one day, rebuking me for how I was treating the knights. In retort, I broke his leg… and just to add salt to the wound, I spread the word of how his father was a drunkard who beat up both Ryuji and his mother before abandoning them; I also had his unit demoted in ranks, claiming that if they were going to allow such a rebel to defy orders, they were not suited to work in the royal guard. They shunned him afterwards, pinning him as the blame, and he soon left to train on his own. He stuck around the kingdom however, trying to convince others of my acts, but no one believed him.

“The next to defy me was a girl named Takamaki Ann. She was a foreigner who came to live in the kingdom, being a Romani who was settling down. She was beautiful, with golden blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes. Her beauty never went unnoticed, and the local seamstress had asked her to try on dresses in hopes to help boost her business. She became very popular… and I lusted after her more than any woman I had ever seen. I met her one day, gave her a ride on my stallion, and she flirted a bit with me. I decided to make her mine--- but she refused.

“Enraged, I… I went after her friend, Suzui Shiho, one of my best female knights. I forced her into my chambers… with every day Ann refused me, I made Shiho pay for it. I made Yuuki Mishima--- my weakest knight, whom I abused the most--- fetch her every afternoon. One day, I sent Ann a note, claiming that if she did not have relations with me, Shiho would be removed from the royal guard. It was one thing her best friend felt she was good at, and I knew if Ann cared so much she would not turn down my offer.

“Then… Shiho tried to kill herself. She climbed on top of the castle wall and jumped. Rather than facing my guilt, I instead decided to pin it on Ryuji, Mishima, and Kurusu Akira--- the bandit who had been exiled to town, and whose name I sullied on a whim. I sentenced them to be executed in a matter of days, unless they chose exile.

“I suppose… I should have been more aware of my actions when the Phantom Thieves first arrived. It had started after I had Akira and Ryuji locked away for trespassing on the palace grounds, the two of them trying to find other victims of my tyranny to stage an uprise, no doubt. I do not know how they managed to escape… but I encountered them… and I witnessed Joker’s transformation. It was like sorcery--- all of a sudden, he donned a mask and black attire, and soon had amazing strength and speed! Skull soon gained his mask and power, and I knew that I was not dealing with ordinary thieves…

“When they did not appear in my castle for a few days, I dismissed it as a trick of the mind. After Shiho’s attempted suicide, I had Ann captured and brought to my castle, having her chained to the wall as means to teach her how to be my obedient little slave. Thus when I witnessed the transformation of Panther, and with great strength she managed to break free of her bonds! Startled, I fled, ordering the captain of the guards to handle the thieves. I ordered all my guards to keep watch, to search every inch of the castle for the intruders and make sure they did not avoid capture! But they were elusive… they had left a calling card on my throne, claiming they were going to steal the one thing I treasured most.

“I refused to let their threats get to me, and lied in wait for them. When they tried to make off with my crown, I intervened and fought them on my own. But they had a trick up their sleeve--- they had a fourth member of their team that I had paid no mind to, who caught me off guard; when I was weakened, they went all out in their attacks and took me down. …I then had to admit I was afraid… that was how Shiho felt too, Panther had told me… they made me take a good look at myself, made me realize how far I had fallen from glory, how I was a disgrace… I had become a threat to a kingdom that I once vowed to protect…

“I felt that was the end for me, that I would be assassinated… but instead, they spared my life on the condition that I confess to my crimes and step down. I had stayed in my room for several nights, thinking about all I had wronged… I had the council handle kingdom matters, claiming I was unwell… and when the guilt became overbearing, I finally came forth and announced my transgressions to the entire kingdom. I begged for execution… but… Ann… from the depths of the crowd… she snapped at me, claiming that death was not an option. I… I knew what she meant, that it was a coward’s way out… but I also feel she felt the best revenge would be to allow me to live with this guilt on my shoulders. Well, I accepted my punishment. I was exiled from the kingdom, practically run out by a throng of angry, disappointed subjects… and some days later, I walked down a mysterious road that led me to this castle, and after drinking the wine sealed my fate.

“You see, this castle… as I had learned… it is a prison for those burdened with guilt. It may look luxurious and welcoming… but sin always looks appealing. It is not until you step down into the dungeons or look at the pictures that you realize how haunted you are. The worse your crime, the more you are tormented. I had tried to escape… I had even attempted to kill myself, but it only felt as if I had fallen asleep, waking up with no scars or bruises to be found. It was then I realized… I may be stuck here forever.

“Now you know my story… and I understand if what you have seen, what you have learned, and all I told you makes you anxious. I will not be disappointed… I’ve come to expect it, after all. I only want your honesty in response.”

Ronin was quiet for a moment; thunder rolled softly before he finally spoke. “I don’t care.”


	27. The Companion's Deep, Dark Secret

“You don’t care?” Kamoshida questioned, looking at his companion in confusion. “Ronin, I just told you everything you read---“

“Yes, I read the story. I see the portraits every day. And… I saw that doppelganger of you down in the cells, sulking in remorse. You are filled with guilt for what you have done, and expect to be feared and hated… but…” Ronin began, clenching his fists. “I will not condemn you. I-I can’t. The man in those portraits, that book, that cell… they’re not the same man who gave me refuge, was patient with me, and took care of me while I was sick--- even after I screwed up!

“Perhaps I would feel differently if I were there, if I were a victim of your tyranny, but I was not; I only know you as the man who lives in this castle and made me his servant. And… you were kind to me, which we can both agree is the greatest difference between your past and present time! I admit I was anxious after I read about it, wishing that it was all a coincidence, but the portraits showed what happened and… well, I felt nervous. It was not until you took concern that I realized, ‘This is no longer the same man… why am I so worried?’”

The ex-king sighed. “Yet you were still afraid. It took days for your nerves to calm down, did it not?”

“I _was_ , but… I enjoyed spending time with you, and that overshadowed my fear.” Ronin folded his hands together, looking out the window. “You see… it’s been years since I felt that close to anyone. Back home, I did not have anyone to sit down and read a story with, let alone teach me how to use a sword! The last few days brought back a feeling of warmth that I had long forgotten.”

The master looked at him a moment, leaning forward a bit as he rested one arm on the table. “And yet you still ran when I was angry.”

Ronin cringed. “That… is a natural response for me. You see… whenever I did something wrong, I was always beaten--- and I don’t mean getting the belt to the rear. My sister, Kira, would slap me, punch me, shove me to the ground… Hell, if I did something she did not approve of, she would make it her obligation to give me a bloody nose! This book?” he patted the novel. “The day I brought it home, she ripped several pages and threw it in the mud! She called it all nonsense, telling me to stop filling my head with stories. I managed to read what pages were left and unstained. It was my favorite book… because it was the only one I had in my possession. She burned the rest.”

Kamoshida arched an eyebrow; the tale could be exaggerated, but he had known Ronin well enough that when he spoke this clearly, he was being completely honest. Not to mention, the master had met such cruel people before. Hell, he had _been_ one! “I take it she was the reason you ran away?”

His companion nodded. “Somewhat… you see… we had fallen into debt. I had been working in the cleaners, trying to earn us money--- but any money I made she would splurge on whatever she wished. Why at one point, I had to learn to fish in order to keep food on the table! We were about to lose the house back in the spring. Suddenly there came news that a company man had come to town, as his heir needed someone to wed. Well, Kira signed ME up, claiming it was the only opportunity we had to keep from becoming beggars.

“But my ‘fiance’ was just as much of an ass as my sister. Pig-headed, abusive, and critical, I felt like I was nothing more than a doormat! My sister, of course, cared nothing for my well-being and enjoyed all the fancy clothes and other luxuries she could afford. One night… it got to be too much, because that boorish, brainless son of a pig wanted me to lay with him immediately, and after I smashed a plate over his head… I ran away, ignoring my sister’s threats and warnings.”

“Hold it…” Kamoshida gave him a look. “You say you were getting married to a _man?”_

“Er…!” Ronin froze, paling when he realized he revealed yet another secret!

The ex-king gave a wave of his hand. “Don’t fret about it… To be honest, I’ve known for a while.”

“Y-You did?!” His companion sunk down, blushing. “How…?”

“The night you were sick, I had to rub an ointment on your chest and saw the bandages. I did not say anything, however, considering we were respecting each other’s secrets and all. Plus…” He gave a humorous smile. “You don’t exactly look the part in the first place. You lack curves, height, and… well, to put it bluntly, I consider you to be feminine as much as I consider myself to be a rabbit. I must ask though… why do you dress like a man?”

Ronin rubbed the back of his (her, now, he considered) neck. “To be honest… I always preferred this sort of style. Women clothing always felt so tight and uncomfortable, not to mention it was impossible to get a lot of heavy work done while in a skirt! I also cut my hair short so I wouldn’t have to bother with tying it up. …of course, during the summer Sugimura made me grow it out, and kept making me put on lacy dresses AND a corset…”

“Sugimura…? I think I know that name… He used to live somewhere in my kingdom! Yes, he was supposed to be engaged to a girl named Okumura Haru, her father was running for Prime Minister, the last time I heard.”

“Yes, well, according to him, his last fiancé was ‘too high-strung and boisterous’ and broke off the engagement with him. His father wants him to produce an heir to continue the family bloodline, so the louse was looking for a woman who was ‘not so independent in her own ways’. He kept claiming women were good for nothing more than cooking, cleaning, and sex.”

Kamoshida cringed a bit, itching the side of his face. “To be honest, I was the same during my rule… I claimed women--- well, s-slaves as I called them--- were to listen and be silent. …Damn, I was a total ass.” He shook his head. “If you wish to be addressed as a male, I shall heed your wish. Like I said, it will be quite simple since you are not much of a girl--- that, and it would be hard to get used to.”

Ronin gave a relieved sigh. “Thank you,”

The ex-king pondered a moment, tapping his fingers a bit. In truth, treating Ronin like a young man would perhaps also prevent him from having a relapse. As long as he denied his companion was female, he stood a greater chance of never going back to his insidious nature. He decided to change the subject. “Okay, next question… how did you find this place? Be honest.”

“A fortune teller gave me directions.” Ronin answered, tapping the book. “I… kind of got a hunch thanks to this book. There was a kind fortune teller who assisted Joker in his quest, by sending him a talking cat to be his guide. When the fortune teller I met told me a cat would lead me to my refuge, I was astounded!”

Kamoshida had to laugh. “Amazing. Simply amazing… In truth, that was how I was told of this place, but I simply did it out of desperation, not because of a book!” he sat back. “So, let me get this straight… You ran away from me because you came from an abusive home. Did you think I was going to bring you harm?”

Ronin nodded solemnly. “I’m sorry, I should have faced you---“

“No… no, you made a wise choice. Considering my mind was filled with rage… chances are I would have hit you first and asked questions later. I suppose there are still parts of myself that still need tamed. You made a wise decision to run.”

“But… y-you had every right to be angry! You were trying so hard to keep me from learning about a past that was too painful to bring up, and I ended up reading about it and never told you… I broke your trust.” His companion winced. “I really fouled up… I always seem to do something wrong.”

“Ronin. I was literally _seeing red._ I could have hurt you. Badly. I did not calm down until I realized you were in worse danger!” He rubbed his face, sighing. “I admit, I was hurt that you did not come and tell me about this. But if you did, chances are I would have shown my worst side and made your anxiety worse than it had been before…” he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter now. We both made mistakes, yet somehow it led to us clearing the air. Only one question remains,”

“W-What is it?” the blonde inquired.

Kamoshida looked at him in confusion and curiosity. “What in the _hell_ did you do to end up with the same fate as I have?” His tone was light, somewhat in jest, as he looked at the small, meek companion before him.

Ronin was quiet a moment, staring down at his tea, biting his lip. His fingers curled, his hands slightly trembling. It was as if he were having a mental war about whether or not to confess his sin. “It was… well… it was much worse than you have done.”

The ex-king’s eyes widened. “That’s impossible! What could you have done that would make my ill deeds…” He paused, seeing the blonde’s eyes tearing up. The man changed his tone, keeping it calm, while showing his concern. “Ronin. What happened? You can tell me. It will do you good to let it out!” When the companion remained silent, he stood up and knelt beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Listen. You did not condemn me, and I will not condemn you. Okay?”

The rain continued to pour, only the light tapping of raindrops on the windows filling the silence in the room. But Kamoshida was patient, waiting for his companion to find the courage to tell him whatever horrible secret he had been harboring.

Ronin sniffled a bit, before whispering quietly, “I killed my father…”


	28. The Burden of Guilt

Kamoshida’s eyes widened. “Y-You what…?” he questioned, looking at Ronin as if he were speaking in tongues.

“I killed my father!” Ronin let out a sob, covering his face.

“H-Hold on… you… are you saying you--- of all people--- _murdered_ someone?” The ex-king was stunned. Sure, he had heard stories about seemingly-innocent people who turned out to be psychopaths, but Ronin… well, if he were a killer on the run, he had done a good job of pulling an act! “Dare I ask how…?”

“I mean… it wasn’t exactly _murder,_ but… h-he still died because of me.” The blonde rested his forehead on his palm, taking a shaky breath. “I-I was ten when it happened. My father… he bred horses for a living, beautiful stallions that even high-class people would compete for at the auction! We had three males and five females, all in the prime of their lives and capable of producing strong healthy colts. Papa planned on selling two of the mares to a farmer, and a soldier planned on buying one of the males claiming his own steed was growing too old to ride.

“Well, next to business, father also used the horses to spend time with us, giving us horseback rides. I was too small to ride by myself, so he would have to sit with me on the saddle. Kira… she would tease me, boasting about how she could ride by herself. Well, father silenced her, claiming that she did not learn how to ride until she was ten, and once I was the same age he would teach me to ride on my own too. So, you can imagine my excitement on my tenth birthday, and I was ready to ride! But, it had started to rain, so we had to wait until the next day… and that day father had to take one of the stallions to the soldier, and then make a vet appointment when he felt one of the mares he was selling might be pregnant.

“Safe to say, my riding lesson kept getting delayed, and… I got a little impatient. One day, while Kira was in town shopping and father was taking two of the mares to the farmer up the road… I decided I would try to teach myself. I had been around the horses plenty of times, so they were used to me, and I felt I would have no trouble climbing onto their backs… but the fence was too old to climb on and I didn’t want to break the boards, so I decided to do the sensible thing and open the gate.

“But, the gate was a bit of a hassle. Its hinges were very loose so it swung open with great force, and the latch was tricky and you would have to work with it to get it to lock in place… well, it swung wide open and slammed into the side of the fence, the noise startling the horses! I tried to shut it, but it was heavy and I could not push it back fast enough. Once I got it closed… well, it wouldn’t latch, and one of the horses ended up bumping into it and knocking it open! They all ran out, and I raced after them but couldn’t catch them!

“Father and Kira came back home right at that moment, and were both furious. Kira called me an ass, and father told me to go to bed without supper. He then rounded up some neighbors to go track down the horses… and after two days of searching, they found the horses had been killed by wolves. I felt ashamed… but father assured me he would buy new stallions, claiming that this would serve as a lesson in patience, and was somewhat of a benefit as now everyone knew there were wolves nearby. But… I knew he was still disappointed in me.

“I wanted to make it up to him, so I worked hard doing chores, and even bought ingredients to cook his favorite dinner when he returned home! I wanted to go with him too, but he insisted Kira and I stay home, promising he would be back the next day. Kira was a total bitch to me the moment he was gone, telling me I should do ALL the work around the house, said I probably cost the family a lot of money, and that Father would never let me go anywhere near the new horses. I screamed at her, she slapped me, and we got into a fight until our neighbor, Miss Yua, came by--- Father told her to check up on us often--- and sent us to our rooms.

“I waited outside the whole next day, anxiously waiting for father to come home. I grew worried when the sun went down and he had not arrived… and by the next morning, Kira and I were both concerned. We were about to go fetch the sherriff, when there came a knock at the door. It was father's traveling companions who came to us with horrible news…

“A large tree had fallen in the middle of the path, and they had to take an alternate route across a rope bridge that went over a raging river. Well… the bridge was not very stable, they found out too late. Father had tried leading one of the stallions across, but halfway across the rope snapped, the horse panicked, and both of them fell into the river; the horse had hit a rock and sunk, and father's arm had been tangled in the reigns... his companions had climbed down the cliffside to try to help him... but by the time they cut him loose, he had drowned.

“We had to sell the two live horses to pay for the funeral. Miss Yua could only come by to check on us, too old to take care of children all the time. The county clerk said that the money father had left in his account would help with the house payments for three years. Since Kira was the oldest, being fourteen, she was in charge of the household, and… she made me do everything. She blamed me for father’s death, and… and for once, I agreed with her. I knew that if I never let the horses loose, father never would have had to cross that bridge, and… I felt it was up to me to take care of things.

“I tried so hard… I-I tried to take care of someone else’s horse when I was a teenager. One day, we found the barn door open and saw the horse had gotten loose, though thankfully this time it was alright; but after word spread that I was inept at keeping animals, hardly anyone would hire me. I had to get a job at the cleaner’s to earn a bit of wages… and Kira bought whatever she wanted.” Ronin clenched his fists, scowling. “’Why should I have to work? I’m not the one who lost the horses!’ she would sneer at me. Whenever I rebuked her… she assaulted me.

“She… she once told me I was responsible for the death of _both_ our parents. That mother died while in childbirth with me. She claimed I was nothing but a jinx! As I got older, I started to get wise to her gas-lighting and I planned on leaving her behind when I met a new friend, Madoka. He was a pirate, and he planned on sailing away at the end of the summer. I wanted to go away with him… but the law caught him, accusing him of being a criminal, and took him away to be executed at the state capital. I-I tried to tell them they were making a mistake, because he had been with me when those crimes took place but… no one listened. Kira called me a fool, and from that point on… I felt I would have nothing good in my life…

“Soon, we fell into debt. Sugimura came along earlier this fall. Upon learning that I had turned 21 the previous summer and was still a maiden, he insisted I become his bride. My sister told me it was ‘my responsibility to provide for the family in whatever way I could’… It was not until I got fed up with Sugimura treating me like I was a worthless slave that I decided it would be better to just run away!

“But… I feel guilty. I abandoned my home, kept failing at trying to take care of my family… I could not even make a friend without losing them! I-I feel like if I get close to anyone, they might end up suffering because of me… like I am not meant to have a happy life, because of the blood on my hands.

“That’s why I am to remain here. It’s probably the reason why the fortune teller told me to come here in the first place! I…” Ronin rubbed his face, tears gushing out as he began to sob again. “I keep screwing up… and I keep ruining people’s lives when I do! You may have been a heartless tyrant, but… you never cost someone their life. …My father’s life was cut short because of me, and Madoka might have managed to travel elsewhere if he did not stay for me! I-I shouldn’t be allowed to live in this place! Even being married to Sugimura would have been too merciful! I should be back down in the dungeon! I---“

“ _Enough_.” Kamoshida spoke firmly. Having been listening so long in silence, Ronin nearly forgot what his voice sounded like!

The blonde sniffled, wiping his eyes again. “…I’m sorry… but that’s what happened. I ran away from my problems… I thought I could shake my burdens, but… it is clear I will never be free of my shame. My father is dead, and we’ve lost everything. It’s all my fault.”

Ronin lied his face on his arms, sobbing. Out the window, thunder rolled and lightning flickered in the sky. A clock chimed four times.

A hand rubbed his back, and he looked up at Kamoshida, who gave him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry for your loss, Ronin… but to be perfectly honest, I do not think you deserve to be here.” He told the lad.


	29. A Vow is Made

Ronin looked at his master in sheer panic. _I don’t deserve to be here? Does he mean…?_ He thought, his eyes shimmering with tears. “Are you saying… you want to cast me out?” He asked. He knew causing someone’s death was worse than assault and rape, but was the ex-king so appalled by his story that he did not even want to be in the same room as the lad?!

And then Kamoshida chuckled, causing him great confusion. “No… what I meant was…” The man sighed, standing up and pacing. “What happened to your father… it was all an accident. You did not let those horses out on purpose, and you did not tell him to cross that bridge. In your grief, you felt responsible… and your ass of a sister only milked your guilt throughout the years!” he rubbed the back of his neck, shame on his face. “I… I should know. I used that sort of manipulation before.”

“But--- if I hadn’t… he still died because of me! You never cost anyone their lives!”

The ex-king tapped the book. “Are you dense? Did you forget that one of my knights tried to kill herself because of what I had done?!”

Ronin sniffled. “But… she did not die. And…” he opened the book, turning a few pages. “…she was not trying to kill herself. She claimed she jumped, not because she wanted to die, but she wanted to escape. She and Panther--- or, Ann, managed to move on peacefully with their lives, and she moved to another village and got a fresh start, keeping in contact with her friend.” He closed the book, pushing it away slightly. “In my case, father lost his life, and no one has been able to move on from it. My sister never let me live it down, and… I just can’t let it go.”

The companion gasped as his chair was pulled away from the table and turned sideways. Kamoshida then knelt in front of him, hands on his shoulders. “Ronin. You did nothing wrong. You did not kill your father, _it was all an accident._ I doubt he holds you responsible--- that apparition you saw in the dungeon was a manifestation of your guilt! You have no reason to carry this weight.”

The companion looked at him with a trembling lip before bowing his head. “I just wish I never opened that gate…”

Kamoshida sighed. “And I wish I never had become king… But, as you said, it’s all in the past now, and what matters is who we choose to be from now on. You have been a hardworking servant, as well as a wonderful companion. Someday, you will have to go back and face your sister, however, and put your foot down.”

“But… I thought once you drink the wine, you can’t ever leave?”

“That is true… but as I’ve said, this palace is a prison for those who carry the burden of guilt. Your guilt, however, is psychological. Once you have moved on from your remorse, I have a feeling you may be able to leave.” He patted the lad on the shoulder. “But until we find that out for certain… I’m going to help you get stronger.”

“Get stronger?”

“Yes…” The ex-king bowed his head for a moment. “It is something I should have focused on long ago when it came to my knights. I should have helped build their confidence and courage, rather than use their low self-esteem and weaknesses for my own exploits. But with you… I want to help you grow. I want to help you overcome this--- I cannot stand to see you so anxious and get worked up over every little fluke! I shall still be your master, yet you will not be my servant but my student.” He gave him a gentle smile. “I’m going to take care of you.”

Ronin winced. “Master…”

The man shook his head. “You need not address me as that anymore. From now on, just refer to me as Suguru.”

“Suguru… I…” tearing up, the blonde grabbed his master’s hands. “I’m so glad…! But… I-I want to do something in return! If… if I am to overcome my guilt… I want the same for you! I want you to be free as well!”

Kamoshida sighed, patting one of the lad’s hands. “I appreciate the sentiment, Ronin, but---“

“No buts! You said I should not run from my problems… well, you should not hide yourself from the world! Regardless of your crimes, staying locked away in a palace all alone wallowing in your guilt will not resolve anything. The Phantom Thieves changed your heart… only you can decide what to do with it now, right? You’ve repented for your sins, and people need to see how much you have changed! You _need_ to prove to them that you have changed… because you _have_ changed _,_ for the better. I know that, the rest of the world should know it too.”

The ex-king shook his head, but smiled. “Heh, well I’ve given my knights worse challenges. Very well, if that is what you’ve put your mind to, then I am looking forward to see how close you come to success.”

“Oh, I plan on succeeding. Just you wait… if you can help me overcome my past, then I shall do the same and convince you that you are no longer a prisoner of the palace as well!”

Kamoshida stood up, tussling his hair. “Well! I can see your confidence is already improving. But we still have much more to cover,” He looked out the window; the rain had stopped, and the afternoon sun was shining. “But for today, I recommend we have dinner and retire to the lounge.” He looked at the novel on the table. “I must admit… I am curious as to what else those renegades had been up to since I stepped down from the throne.”

Ronin picked up the book. He then looked up at his master, and shook his hand. “Thank you, Suguru.”

The man gave a nod, giving the lad’s hand a firm shake. “You’re welcome.”


	30. The Cat Returns

The thunderstorm from earlier had caused most of the snow to melt; as the cold weather continued on however, the puddles and remaining slush began to freeze over into ice, making the ground slick and sparkling. Only the stars in the clear night could match the beautiful shine that reflected in the moonlight.

Such a sight could be seen through the windows in the lounge, as Ronin sat with Kamoshida on the couch; it was nearing midnight, yet the two were still awake. Right after dinner, the two sat down to read _The Phantom Thieves of Hearts,_ learning about how Joker was first exiled, how all the team was first started.

The ex-king rubbed his chin, deep in thought. “So a man named Shido Masayoshi had Joker banned. Strange… I feel like I’ve heard his name before.”

“It is mentioned he was trying to become Prime Minister, if that helps.” The student answered.

The man snapped his fingers. “That’s it! I knew him when I was a child!”

Ronin looked at him, bewildered. “You did??”

“Certainly,” Kamoshida stood up, walking over to the nearest portrait; it was showing the image of the two boys playing with toy swords. “Right here. It’s actually the only time I actually remember feeling like a child. I had lived with him and his father for a short time, before I started out as a squire and began training as a knight.”

The student cocked his head. “Feeling like a child…? How do you mean?”

The ex-king crossed his arms, thinking back. “I was raised by my grandmother, and from the moment I could walk and speak she would be giving me a task to do; she was a travelling merchant, and taught me how to set up shop, clean, take inventory, count money--- you name it. I was ten when she passed away, and I sold her business to Masayoshi’s father. In exchange, he gave me a place to stay and a job. After a few weeks, I turned eleven, and was old enough to become a squire.”

“So you never played any games as a child?”

The man chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that far… but I seldom was allowed to run off and play with others. Like I said, I was put to work since I was a toddler,”

Ronin was stunned. He looked more of the portraits, finding that they did show the truth; one showing a young boy no older than six standing by a merchant’s wagon polishing bottles, another showing the child a bit older standing by the wagon’s counter selling goods, and finally one of a lad of ten standing by a pit as young men shoveled baking soda into the hole--- a clear sign that his master started out so poor that he could not afford to give his grandmother a proper burial.

Even he, who had been worked to the bone for over a decade, had still managed to make some fond childhood memories. Thinking about the portraits where he stood by his father’s grave, he realized his family did have some small fortune to spare… and his guilt surfaced, as he realized they were now in poverty, and in time Kira would probably be put into a gunny sack and thrown into a ditch with the corpses of other poor folks.

Kamoshida patted him on the shoulder when the lad stood silent too long. “Don’t give me pity, alright? Just because I labored throughout my childhood doesn’t mean I was miserable! Plus, all that hard work and dedication paid off when I became a soldier, and my comrades eventually taught me how to take it easy… I just felt like I never had a vacation!” He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked out the window, his grin fading. “Now that I’m here… well, I’ve had more leisure time than I would want,”

“You did say something about this place being more than it seemed--- how sin looks worthwhile, but indulging in it will just make you a prisoner?”

“Right… It is almost uncanny. I’m living in a palace, where all the chores are already done, a hot meal is always prepared, and having many luxuries… This was what I had expected life to be like as a king, not having to do a thing because someone would have it done for me! Then came the reality--- I had people who counted on me to take care of everything, a land to nurture and protect. …Perhaps that is the façade this castle has chosen--- to remind me of my expectations, as if to mock me.”

The student looked around. “But… if that were true… wouldn’t it also be portraying _my_ expectations?”

The ex-king looked at him a moment, a bit curious.

Ronin went on. “I never really expected to live in a grand palace or anything. If this place is to resemble our fantasies as mockery… well, it would have a much bigger library for one thing, and perhaps be located by the sea--- I’ve always loved to look out at the sea. There would also be a stable nearby filled with horses… actually, there would be more animals around entirely, I’ve always loved animals.”

Kamoshida leaned against the wall, listening with interest.

“Or, perhaps since I came to this castle seeking refuge, my expectations of the domain lined up with your own? It is stereotypical to think that people who live in castles never have to do anything… yet at the same time, I thought it to be haunted when I found how empty it was--- er, until you presented yourself. After that, I suppose the myth of a luxurious royal life surfaced… B-But, I never really wanted to live in a castle, I just wanted a place to hide!”

“Well, you got your wish,” The master chuckled, patted him on his head. “Those are some thorough deductions, however. I must admit, it does open up questions about what kind of desires it focuses on… in my case, I wanted to be locked away for my crimes, and you were seeking refuge. Maybe this place does more than just mimic our expectations and desires… and now I wonder how long the fantasy will last,”

The lad looked at him, perplexed. “Until we overcome our guilt… isn’t that what you said?”

“Yes, yes, I meant once we do that, will this place show its true form?”

“Ah,”

“Boy, you two really have this place figured out, don’t you?” came a new voice.

Ronin jumped, looking around. “D-Did you hear that?!”

“Hear what?” Kamoshida asked, looking around as well.

The student searched the room, pausing momentarily when he saw the cat from before sitting on the mantle, but continued to search. “I thought I heard someone else say something. Didn’t you hear anything?”

The ex-king shrugged. “No one here but you, me, and that mangy furball.”

“Hey! Who are you calling a furball, you dethroned dunce?!” snapped the voice… and Ronin did a double-take, finding it came from the cat! Upon noticing the lad staring, the cat faced him. “…Oh, can you understand me, at last?”

“T… The cat… it’s… it’s speaking?” Ronin looked at Kamoshida, pointing at the feline. “T-The cat just spoke to me!”

“Maybe you’re just delusional,” The ex-king replied, while giving the cat a look. “I doubt it would have anything good to say, even if it could speak.”

“I am not an ‘it’, I am a HE! And my words have more worth than yours do, you jackass!” The cat sneered, standing up and arching his back.

“I-It spoke again! Can… can you hear it too?” Ronin stammered, looking back and forth at the two.

“Nope,” Kamoshida put, bluntly.

“Oh, he can too! He just prefers to ignore me,” The cat turned to Ronin. “To be honest, that was actually what helped caused his downfall. Focusing more on Panther, Skull and Joker, but not thinking much of Mona--- despite he was the one who was actually calling the shots!”

“Why don’t you go somewhere else and lick yourself?”

“Why don’t you go---!”

“I think I’m going to faint…” the lad groaned, swaying.

Ronin fell back, passing out. The last thing he heard was a gasp from Kamoshida, and the cat stating, “Whoops.”


	31. Morgana

When Ronin came to, he was on the couch with a cold washcloth on his head; Kamoshida was sitting nearby, and the cat from before was on the table. “…I am going to go out on a limb here and guess I did not dream this cat could talk,” he murmured.

“Nope, my impressive speech is as real as the air you breathe!” The cat replied.

The lad blinked, trying to take it all in.

“Seriously? You’ve been living in a self-cleaning castle where food magically appears, went down into a dungeon where you saw your own Shadow, and yet it’s a _talking cat_ that leaves you perplexed?” Kamoshida questioned, having to chuckle.

“I-I wasn’t expecting animals to talk around here! …Is it a witch’s cat or something?” Ronin asked.

“HE! I am a HE! And--- and on a further note, I am NOT a cat! I was human before! A witch’s cat, indeed! Hmph!” The cat huffed, straightening up in an indignant manner.

“So… you were cursed as a cat?”

“No, but—well… look, I’m human, alright? It’s just hard to explain!” The cat held out his paw, as if to shake hands. “Call me ‘Morgana’.”

“I thought you were called ‘Mona’?” Kamoshida asked in jest.

“SHUSH!”

“Wait… Mona??” Ronin sat up, grabbing his book and flipping the pages. “That was the name of the cat who worked with the Phantom Thieves! Only they could understand it, for some reason.” He looked at the cat. “Is it truly you??”

Morgana stiffened, his tail becoming bushy. “Er, no! I’m just an ordinary talking human who just happens to look like a cat!”

“Your sputtering isn’t exactly helping your case,” Kamoshida remarked, sipping a cup of coffee.

“Oh, shut up! I’m pretty sure whoever Mona is, he wouldn’t want his secret identity exposed!”

Ronin considered this; he did recall even the author of the book made it clear that the story held fabricated details in order to protect the identities of the Phantom Thieves, so he decided to humor the ‘human cat’. “Then we will keep calling you Morgana. …My name is Ronin, by the way.”

The cat looked at him, giving a grin. “Oh, I know. I was sent to lead you here. I just came by to see how things were going,” He stood proudly. “You can kind of consider me your ‘parole officer’.”

“I see. …But what about Joker? Shouldn’t you be with him?”

“Joker? Joker? Don’t know him… but I DO know a boy I used to live with. He’s been doing alright--- good thing too, it’s difficult to babysit a young man!” He hopped off the couch. “Once the snow clears, I will return to him. I’m sure he is starting to miss me,”

“I see.” Ronin and Kamoshida exchanged looks, knowing the ‘cat’ was pulling a poor charade. “So… how is it that I could never understand you before?”

“It is because you went into the dungeon,” Morgana hopped on the couch, sitting on Ronin’s lap. “You see, this place is based off your cognition. Up here, you have what you desire--- refuge, luxury, security, comfort… but down there, it shows what you are keeping buried--- your guilt, fear, shame, grief. When you end up going down and facing the feelings you ran from, well, the castle decided you could handle a bit more than just magical housekeeping and enchanted pictures.”

“Will I be seeing anything else?”

“Perhaps in time… but what would I know? I am just a visitor.” With that, Morgana hopped off the couch, walking out of the lounge. “Kamoshida can fill you in during your lessons. I retired from that sort of thing a long time ago. For now, I’m going to the kitchen. Ciao!”

Ronin shook his head, turning towards his master. “Goodness… I always imagined if cats could talk, they would have a snarky attitude, but that really takes the cake!”

“Be thankful he doesn’t come around too often,” Kamoshida quipped, standing up and stretching.

The lad stood up next, following him out into the hall. “So you two know each other, huh?”

“Well… I know him as a talking cat, he knew me as a corrupted king, so we wouldn’t exactly consider each other ‘bosom buddies’,” The ex-king leaned down, murmuring. “Between you and me, he’s quite a pain in the neck--- I’d rather have a dog,”

“I can hear you!” Morgana called from up the hall. “Sheesh, why don’t you two go to bed already?! It’s almost one o’clock in the morning!”

Kamoshida and Ronin looked at each other, the ex-king rolling his eyes while smirking and the blonde stifling a snicker. They did, however, agree that Morgana had a point and decided to retire for the rest of the evening.

~*~

“It seems our two guests are getting along quite nicely,”

“Most certainly so! To think, at the beginning of the winter season, they were complete strangers keeping their distance, and now they deem each other as master and student.”

“Yes… I wonder if our own master had not planned this. After all, he had sent someone to help change the king’s heart; now here is someone who is helping him discover how to use it with care.”

“Do you suppose that they will be free from the palace?”

“Only time can tell, my dear little brother. For now, we should tend to our duties… and prepare the room, for I feel that one of our guests will be finding it soon.”

“I will. …Do you suppose I should send a message to Ronin? Just to see if he would like anything special?”

“Ronin is a ‘she’, you twit. And I would not recommend it unless you wish to scare her,”

“…but, doesn’t he prefer to be addressed as a man?”

“She can pretend all she wants, but she cannot hide what’s inside.”

“But Kamoshida refers---“

“He does it in order to protect himself. I can tell. …Now come along, let’s get to work. There are many chores to be done, and we must keep on top of things,”

“Okay!”


	32. Hidden Fears Revealed in Slumber

“Do you really think _she_ wants you as an instructor?”

_Go away…_

“Do you honestly believe a young _girl_ would feel safe with you?”

_I said go away, dammit!_

“You know you cannot pretend forever. One day you will have to say goodbye to _her,_ and dwell in your eternal self-loathing.”

_I know one day we will part ways… but until that day comes, I am going to help Ronin---_

“Like how you helped Ryuji? Mishima? Shiho? I suppose if it was not for your abuse, the Phantom Thieves would have never existed… but that does not excuse your past. Nothing will. You can ‘help’ _her_ all you want, but that will not erase the suffering you have caused.”

_ENOUGH!_

Kamoshida turned and faced his tormentor. It was the Romani girl, only standing there in scantily clad attire rather than formal dress. Her eyes burned a bright yellow color, and on her head were a pair of cat ears, a tail twitching behind her. She held a whip. “What’s the matter? Can’t face the truth?” she sneered, her voice having an echo to it. “Ronin is as much as a female as I am. Do you think that just because she does not have perky breasts, wide birthing hips, or stands only five feet in height that it is easy to dismiss her as female? You can treat her like a man all you want, but sooner or later you will acknowledge her as a female, and then you will be filled with lustful desires once again… and this time, no one will be around to stop you~”

_I said that’s ENOUGH!_

The ex-king swung his sword and cut through her…

She turned into smoke, which only grew and expanded around him.

He stood in a cloud of black, surrounded by familiar shapes, hearing familiar voices filled with fear and spite. “Why do you deny it? You always hurt someone… and why not? You never gave a damn about anyone’s pain but your own,” came another echoing voice, and the pirate stood before him--- bound by chains and covered in bruises, yellow eyes glaring down at him. “That’s why you’re really helping her… you’re just trying to save your own ass. Well, no good deed erases a bad one--- especially the ones you had committed.”

The ex-king gripped his head. _I’m sorry! How many times must I say it before you leave me be?!_

“You will never leave your past. No amount of remorse you give will change the fact that you are a lecherous tyrant, and one day you will hurt Ronin, just like you hurt everyone else. She has no reason to trust you. She knows the truth now… she’s watching her back, knowing you’re up to something.”

_I’m not… I will never hurt her! I’ve changed, damn it all!_

He grabbed his sword again, stabbing the pirate, only to stumble forward through the smoke and fall into a hallway, right in front of a portrait of himself.

“Admit it. You cannot help her. You cannot run from the past. You will only end up bringing harm upon her.” The portrait spoke, giving a condescending grin as yellow eyes pierced his soul. “Why not just give in? Get it over with--- teach her what it really means to be a woman and make her accept her fate…”

_SHUT THE HELL UP!_

He swung his fist into the portrait, and it shattered like glass…

_“Suguru!”_

…

Pain shot up his arm, and suddenly Kamoshida opened his eyes, finding himself standing by a window… his arm outstretched, fist clenched, and his once-white sleeve was stained red with blood. He gasped, backing up and looking at the wound, hyperventilating.

“Suguru!” Repeated the cry, and he saw Ronin rushing up to him. Concern was on his face as he approached the ex-king. “I-I heard you yelling in your sleep… you were sleepwalking, and… C’mon, we have to take care of your arm!”

Grabbing his good hand, the student led the master back into his bedroom, over to the bathroom. A first-aid kit awaited them, and the lad had the older man sit down. He tore off the sleeve (apologizing, claiming it had to be done) and grabbed a pair of tweezers, picking out pieces of glass that remained stuck and diligently searching the wound for even the smallest fragment. He rinsed the blood off in order to double check, and once he was sure there wasn’t a shard left, he soaked a washrag in alcohol and cleaned the gash (warning that it would sting a bit), and grabbed the bandages.

Kamoshida watched him in silence, the blonde was being so careful; he would have just told the lad not to bother, that the magic of the castle ended up healing any wound, but his student would probably dismiss it, not wanting to rely on some enchantment to tend to his master’s arm.

The ex-king winced. Ronin did not ask questions or give him a moment to respond--- he just began to help him without hesitation.

It was not until the blonde was done wrapping his arm in gauze that he realized his master had been quiet the whole time, and looked to see tears rolling down the older man’s face. He stepped closer, and patted him on the shoulder. “It’s okay, Suguru. The nightmares can’t hurt you now,”

Kamoshida let out a sob, wrapping his arms around Ronin and holding him tight, burying his face in the lad’s shoulder. Ronin only shushed him gently, rubbing his back, and neither of them spoke for several moments.

…

Once he was calm, the ex-king walked out with the lad. He had discarded his torn, blood-stained shirt--- thankful that a fresh one was lied out on his bed for him to wear. Changing into it, he sat down on the edge of the bed; the blonde stood by him, in case his master needed anything else.

“Thank you, Ronin.” The older man whispered, resting his good hand on the lad’s shoulder and giving him an endearing smile.

In turn, Ronin patted his back. “You’re welcome, Suguru.”

Kamoshida stood up, climbing back under his blankets, while Ronin returned to his own room.

The night-terrors did not attack him again for the rest of the night.


	33. The Morning After

Ronin said nothing about last night the following morning when Kamoshida came into the kitchen. The ex-king had slept in late, as it was nearly ten o’clock; the student had already eaten breakfast, and had saved a plate for his master, though worried that the food had grown much too cold to eat by now. Much to both his surprise and expectation, the magic of the castle had kept it warm.

Seeing there was still a look of fatigue in the man’s eyes, the blonde had to wonder if he had managed to get back to sleep and—if so—if any more nightmares invaded his subconscious. The lad could not forget the scene he had woken up to last night: he had been asleep when a crash was heard from upstairs; he ascended the stairs to the fifth floor and saw a vase had been knocked over, and his master was mumbling curses in his sleep, twisting and turning as he walked up the hall, before finally swinging a punch at a window!

Once Ronin called him out of his sleepwalking state, Kamoshida had a look of pain and shock on his face. Rushing to his aid, the lad made sure to tend to his injuries very carefully; he was unfortunately familiar with what kind of infections could occur if even a tiny shard of glass was left in the wound, and whether the castle had magical healing abilities or not Ronin refused to leave it be. He had been so deep in concentration that he did not realize his master had been silent, thus when he noticed tears in his eyes.

The only other time the student had ever seen his master cry was the first time he had seen him have a nightmare.

But last night was the first time he had seen the man outright sob!

Thinking about it now, Ronin did not think the ex-king was capable of shedding a tear. The man had always given off an aura of strength and dominance, as if he was immune to fear and invulnerable to pain. Whenever they stood side-by-side, the lad felt like he was in the presence of an invincible warrior, one who could throw him clear over the castle wall if his student stepped out of line!

It was not until last night that Ronin realized even warriors can be vulnerable.

The blonde had acted automatically last night; when Kamoshida broke down, he did not see him as a master, but as a broken-hearted soul in need of comfort. The ex-king showed a different side of himself in his distress, and wrapped his arms around Ronin until his eyes were dry.

The lad thought about that moment as he walked out of the kitchen. It had been so long since he had been hugged. Not that it could be considered a fond memory, considering the ex-king was having an emotional breakdown, but it did lead the lad to think about the last few times the man had him in his arms--- carrying him downstairs when he twisted his ankle, inside when he had fallen asleep out into the snow, to bed when he had fallen ill, and keeping him held close when they escaped the dungeon.

He had felt secure.

In some way, he wanted to experience that feeling a bit more often.

Looking over at his master sitting at the dining table, Ronin decided it was for the best that he would keep such a thing to himself. For one thing, he had doubts Kamoshida would want his masculinity questioned, and would probably think the lad as soft; not only that, but the ex-king no doubt wished for last night to remain unspoken, and would probably dismiss it as a dream his student had in order to keep up his tough appearance.

“You look tired,” Ronin stated, sitting down near his master.

“Well, that tends to happen when you wake up in the dead of night, punching out a window.” Kamoshida answered in cynicism. He looked at his arm, the bandages still wrapped around it. “…Thank you, by the way. You know this would have been healed anyway, remember? The castle has a way of tending to injuries and illnesses,”

The student huffed, crossing his arms. “I was not going to return to bed and let you bleed to sleep. And besides, we should not rely on some enchanted castle to tend to our every need. One day, we will be leaving it behind.”

His master chuckled. “Well, I can’t argue with that.” He sipped his coffee, before letting out a sigh and rubbing his face.

Ronin cocked his head. Since it was already signified that the man had no qualms about last night, he felt at liberty to ask, “Did you have trouble getting back to sleep?”

“Heh, it’s hard to go back to bed when your arm aches… but in all seriousness, I always had trouble going back to sleep when my nightmares got too intense. It’s happened before, and I just spend the morning doing something leisurely until I feel my energy has returned. But, I managed to sleep fine last night, for the first time in ages.”

“That’s a relief to hear. …So what should we do this morning, then?”

Kamoshida scoffed, smirking as he tussled Ronin’s hair. “ _I’m_ going to go to the lounge and take a nap. _You_ can find something to do until I wake up.”

The blonde’s eyes widened. “Really? But… you always chaperone me,”

“Hey, you’re a grown man--- well, not in size, but in maturity. Just stay out of the dungeon and tower, and do what you please. …Heck, you might end up coming across that mangy furball again, so he can keep you company.” His master stood up, stretching and walking out. “Don’t worry about fixing me lunch, I’ll probably sleep through it. See you in the afternoon, Ronin.”

“Er, okay. See you then, Suguru.” Ronin responded a bit awkwardly. He scratched his head a bit, and looked out the window.

What exactly could he do today?

~*~

He had begun with painting, starting out by drawing a picture of a funny-looking bear he had seen in one of the books. It did not involve too many colors, and Ronin ended up painting the background a bright yellow in order to help the character stand out a bit more. When he was finished, he hung up the picture to dry and sat back down on the stool; he racked his brains for an idea on what to paint next, but his mind was as blank as the fresh canvas before him.

He left the recreation room, heading back down to the lounge; his master was still asleep on the couch, and the lad tip-toed quietly over to the bookcase so not to disturb the man’s much-needed sleep. Browsing the bookshelf, he looked for a novel he had yet to read or finish, but for some reason the desire to dive into a story escaped him.

He looked over at the ex-king once, just to make sure he wasn’t having a nightmare, before walking back out into the hallway. He considered going into the kitchen for a snack, but after looking through the cupboards and fridge, he realized he had no appetite. _I must be coming down with something._ The blonde thought, and turned to walk down the main hallway. _Perhaps I should lie down as well._

Not in the mood to climb a few stairs, he decided to go down to the servant’s quarters and sleep in his old room. It was going to be a bit chilly, he knew, but for some reason the idea of sleeping on some cool blankets and pillows sounded quite soothing to him.

Walking down the hallway, he headed to his old room…

And that’s when he saw the blue door at the end of the hall.


	34. The Velvet Room

_What on earth…?_ Ronin thought in bewilderment. That door had never been there before!

He had every mind to go find Kamoshida and tell him a mysterious blue doorway had suddenly appeared, wondering if his master would know anything about it. He did not want to risk repeating the dungeon trip again!

 _This is very bizarre!_ He thought as he ran down the hall back to the lounge. His master was still on the couch fast asleep, his snoring loud enough to be heard from the doorway.

“Suguru? Sir, wake up!” Ronin whispered, lightly tapping his shoulder.

“Zz… mmf… grandma, lemme sleep… ‘s not even sunrise… zzz…” the older man murmured, waving him off.

“Master Kamoshida, wake up! It’s urgent!” Ronin tapped him a bit harder, but the ex-king did not stir. He must have been completely exhausted to sleep so heavily! God forbid the castle caught fire!

The student sighed. Well, perhaps he could wait until his master woke up. Chances are, this would be like the ‘changing portrait’ incident and the door would vanish before his master even saw it.

The palace seemed to have many mysteries about it, and just when the lad felt accustomed to the oddities, something new would spring up. First it was food that appeared almost instantly, portraits that revealed memories of one’s past, recovering quickly from wounds and illnesses, dungeons with doppelgangers, a talking cat, and now a blue door that was not there before. What next, people turning into mice?!

Ronin sat down on the adjacent couch. He felt exhausted, and wondered if he should follow his master’s example and take a nap himself. He looked over, finding _The Phantom Thieves of Hearts_ was sitting on the nightstand, and decided he would perhaps re-read a chapter or two (not wanting to continue the story without Kamoshida), and opened the book.

Out of the pages fell a blue key.

“Huh?” The blonde picked it up, finding a note was tied to it…

_‘You are invited to be our guest in the Velvet Room.’_

_~L & J_

Ronin looked at the key, shaking his head. _This must be some sort of trick!_ He thought, not exactly wanting to risk getting involved in something sinister.

Something jogged in his memory, however, and he picked up the book and flipped a few pages. Sure enough, the ‘Velvet Room’ had been a term used to describe the fortune-teller’s tent. (The author’s notes claimed that only certain peoples could see it, Joker being the ‘special guest’ who was invited, and one could only guess what the inside looked like). When Ronin had first read the paragraph describing the room, he had been certain this book was nothing but an adventurous fable.

Well… looks like he was living his own fable, now.

He was hesitant, of course. Suppose this ‘Velvet Room’ belonged to the false fortune-teller who had misled Joker in the beginning? On the other hand, the Phantom Thieves had defeated him. But what if he took up residence in this castle?

There came a soft groan, and Ronin turned to see Kamoshida stirring from his nap, sitting up and stretching. Looking over, he gave his student a look. “Don’t tell me you just sat there reading the whole time I was asleep!” he remarked.

“No, I just sat down… and, I found something strange.” The blonde answered, and told him about seeing the blue door down the servant’s quarters, and showed him the key that went to it, as well as the note. “I had read about the Velvet Room in the book, but--- and this includes some spoilers--- I’m afraid the corrupt fortune-teller might be behind it.”

Kamoshida crossed his arms. “Ronin. Didn’t you follow a fortune teller’s directions to this castle?”

The blonde paused, recalling so. “Ah…”

“And you did this because a kind _fortune teller_ had helped out Joker in that novel, which had _many_ details blotted out until your arrival to the castle?”

“Er…”

“And you are _just now_ contemplating that this might be a trap set up by some fiend, after living here for several weeks?”

Ronin shut his mouth.

The ex-king shook his head, patting the blonde’s head. “Go ahead and go into the Velvet Room. I recognize this handwriting… I don’t think you’ll be in any danger.”

“You do? From where?”

“That invisible servant leaves me notes. He must live there. Ha ha, lucky you, being invited--- now you’ll see what our mysterious staff look like! …Why do you still look anxious?”

The student shifted, uncertain. “I just don’t want to end up in trouble again,”

His master knelt down, resting a hand on his shoulder. “I promise, if you end up in trouble, I’ll come to your aid. …Plus, you never backed down from exploring uncharted territory before, why stop now?”

Ronin gulped, looking at the key before back at the ex-king. “Will you come with me?”

Kamoshida nodded.

…

Returning to the blue door, the blonde still felt tense. “So… the door is right there?” his master asked; just as Ronin suspected, the older man could not see it.

“Yes,” The lad let out a breath. “I’m nervous,”

Kamoshida rubbed his back. “Be brave. I’ll be right here if something happens,”

“But… how will you get inside if you can’t see the door?”

The ex-king grabbed the invitation, writing on the back of it. “If anything goes wrong, I’ll have our ‘invisible servant’ get you out of there. He’s never denied a request before, and I doubt he will start now.”

Ronin nodded, then with a deep breath, walked over to the door and used the key.

There was a flash of light as he entered… and when his eyes adjusted, he found himself in what looked like the stateroom of a ship; a large desk was placed in the back of the room with a big stuffed chair behind it, a lantern hung up in the corner giving the room a dim light; port-hole windows gave a view of ocean waves rolling across the sea; the sound of seagulls could be heard chirping from afar; a pair of swords hung criss-crossed on the wall; and a bookcase filled with novels, maps, sextants, ship bottles, and skulls was set up near the door.

And everything in the room was a different shade of blue!

Ronin looked and gave a jolt, finding himself wearing pirate attire consisting of a black shirt, patched-up brown pants, a green sash, a blue bandana, and black boots. _Okay, this is new…_ he thought, quite surprised.

He looked ahead; standing by a globe were two children, one looking like a teenage girl and the other a young boy. The girl had long silver hair, wearing a blue Victorian dress, her eyes a golden-yellow color. The boy had silver hair that was cut in the shape of a half-cracked egg, wearing a long white jacket over black cabin-boy attire with stars and moons decorating his bandana.

“Hello, and welcome to the Velvet Room,” they greeted.


	35. Meeting the "Invisible" Servants

“So this place _does_ exist!” Ronin exclaimed with a bit of excitement.

“I suppose you have to see something to believe it exists. Thank goodness you’re not blind!” The girl huffed.

“We’re happy you came!” The boy replied, a bit more cheerful. “My name is Jose, and this is my sister, Lavenza!”

“It’s nice to meet you. My name is Nobuo Ronin,” The lad answered, shaking the boy’s hand while giving the girl a polite nod.

“Yes, we know. We have been expecting you,” Lavenza answered.

“Y-You have?”

“Yes, it was my master who sent you here, after all.”

“Your master…” Ronin looked around the room. “Where is he? Doesn’t he normally meet with guests?”

“This is a different circumstance. This room appears to those who have found themselves under a certain contract,” Lavenza paced the room. “You have a verbal agreement with Kamoshida Suguru--- both of you having the goal to free each other from your prison, and will not rest until the promise is carried out.”

“I see. So… why did you ask me to come here? When Joker was summoned here, it was because he was chosen to assemble the Phantom Thieves and save the world! …or at least, that was Igor’s true intentions, I forgot why the fake-Igor summoned him…”

“Rest assured, you were not chosen for such a responsibility. Rather… it appears fate has brought you here. We just called you here in order to meet with you.”

“But, why just me though? Why wasn’t Suguru invited?”

“Because he was the one who initiated the agreement, you are the one who accepted it.”

“But he accepted my agreement, too!”

“Not quite… You pretty much just copied the bargain.” Lavenza looked out the window. “There is more to it than that, but if I told you then the whole matter at hand would feel like a complete obligation. The choices you make affect the outcome, and it is best to make choices with an honest heart.”

Ronin blinked. “So in other words… you’re not going to tell me just so I don’t put on an act in order to complete a deal.”

“If you need everything explained in layman terms--- yes, that is precise.”

“But there’s another reason we invited you here!” Jose exclaimed. “You deserve a reward for all you’ve done!”

“All _I’ve_ done? …I don’t understand. I didn’t really do anything worth rewarding.” Ronin answered. In his head, Kamoshida had been the one helping him out. The lad just did pointless chores!

Jose grinned. “Oh, you did. Trust me,”

“Um, if you insist… but I don’t see how money would be of use to me right now,”

The boy giggled. “It’s not money… unless that’s what you really want.”

“What I really want…? How do you mean?”

“He means you can have anything you ask for.” Lavenza explained. “Just say of what you would like, and it shall be done.”

Ronin blinked. He was used to the castle being enchanted, but he did not expect that someone in it would actually grant wishes! It was both wondrous and overwhelming. “I… I-I don’t know what to say! Is it just one wish, or three, or…?”

“That’s up to you,” Jose walked forth, handing him a shining stone shaped like a star. “Anything you want, you wish for with this! But, don’t get too careless, it only has a limited amount of power.”

Ronin looked at the star for a moment, before looking back at Jose and Lavenza. “This is bizarre… I heard that Igor had assistants, but I never heard of either of you!”

“Oh, you haven’t read the whole story yet. Things will make sense afterward,” Lavenza promised, giving a smile.

“You may want to read the book again… a few new pages may have been added.” Jose added.

The blonde’s eyes widened. “How do you know??”

“Oh, I know a lot of things about this place! I spend a lot of time around it,”

The student snapped his fingers. “So you _are_ the invisible servant! Suguru was right!”

“Finally figured it out, did you?” Lavenza quipped.

“Is there more you can tell me about this place? How did it come to exist? Is it true that those burdened with guilt cannot leave? What are those apparitions in the dungeon?”

“Ha ha, your master asked the same things in our messages!” Jose chuckled.

“Messages?”

Jose nodded. “I’m the one who writes to him a lot. He looked lonely, but he can’t see the door, probably because he wasn’t invited. So, I started sending him notes; I asked him if there was anything he needed, and sometimes we just talked. He probably still thinks I’m a ghost or something!”

“Albeit a friendly one,” Lavenza added, turning to Ronin. “But to answer your questions… it is quite hard to say how this place formed, Jose is still looking into it; and as we’ve confirmed already, yes, you cannot leave until you have overcome your guilt; and the apparitions you saw were the Shadows of your former selves--- the dungeon reflects the negative feelings you try to keep buried deep within. It will not go away until you finally let them out,”

“This is all so strange… It’s like a dream I keep expecting to wake up from,” Ronin replied, crossing his arms and looking out the porthole at the waves.

“Well, this place DOES exist between dream and reality, mind and matter… At least that’s what my master always says,”

“Don’t worry. If I find any more clues about this place, I’ll let you know!” Jose assured the lad.

Ronin looked at the star in his hand, then turned towards Jose. “You two have been helping out all this time… Is there anything I can do in return?”

“If I ever have a request, I will let you know.” Lavenza answered first.

“I like to collect flowers, so if you happen to find any, you can bring me some!” Jose replied next.

“Okay,” Ronin nodded. “Is there anything else to talk about?”

“That is all for the time being. We will send you a message if a situation calls for it,” Lavenza stated, walking over and sitting behind the desk. “You may return to your master,”

“Oh! Before you go, there’s one more thing I need to tell you,” Jose spoke up quickly as Ronin walked towards the door.

Ronin looked at the small boy. “What is it?”

Jose only smiled. “Good job!”


	36. Forced to Drop the Charade

“I’m back,” Ronin told his master once he entered the hallway.

“So what was your host like?” Kamoshida asked once Ronin reappeared, hiding his jolt when the lad just suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

“There were two of them. Their names are Lavenza and Jose,” Ronin answered. “You were right, they’re the ones who have been our ‘invisible servants’, and Jose is the one who writes to you.”

The ex-king recalled such. “I see. So what was their reason for inviting you in?”

“They wanted to reward me for some reason,” The lad answered, showing him the star-shaped stone. “Jose gave me this, he said it grants wishes.”

The master had to roll his eyes. “Seems like you have truly stumbled into a fairytale… So, why were you invited, but never me?”

“I asked them that. They said it’s because I am ‘under an agreement’, based on our goals to set each other free,” Ronin rubbed his chin. “Though, I wonder why they did not summon me the day I first agreed to be your servant…”

“You can ask them next time you visit, I’m sure. For now, let’s get something to eat,” He began walking, his student at his side. “So, a wishing star, huh? Any idea what you’re going to ask for, first?”

“I honestly don’t know. I know I’ll have to be careful,” The lad tucked the stone into his pocket. “I’ve read a few stories where you have to be specific with your wishes, otherwise they can be twisted. I’ll have to put careful thought into it, as well as consider the outcomes of each wish.”

“How so?”

“Well, like the tale of King Midas, who wished that anything he touched would turn to gold--- well, he could not eat because any food he grabbed turned into solid gold, and could not sleep because the same happened to his bed, and finally he ended up turning his daughter into a golden statue! In another tale, a genie would always twist wishes so that they had horrid outcomes for the ones who unleashed him…”

“Alright, you’ve made your point.” The master crossed his arms, peering at a portrait that depicted his coronation. “Honestly, I would not want to use a magic rock in a place like this,”

“Are you sure?” Ronin looked up at him. “I was actually thinking about letting you use it,”

The ex-king gave him an incredulous look. “Come off it, it’s _your_ reward! Obviously, you’ve earned it more than I ever would have, otherwise you would not have been given it.”

“But you deserve something too! From all you’ve done---“

“ _Ronin_.” His tone was sharp, though he was trying to keep it even. “I insist,”

The student stepped in front of him, giving him a stern look. “Well _I_ insist more. It’s not fair that I was given this thing for a reason I’m unaware of, whereas you’ve been helping me out--- even when I’ve made stupid decisions, one which nearly had me killed!” He crossed his arms. “As part of your conditioning, I am allowing you to have a wish regardless of whether you think you deserve it or not!”

Kamoshida scoffed, giving him a look. “You’re bold all of a sudden. What’s with the feisty attitude?”

The blonde let out a huff. “You’re talking to someone who has been berated his whole life and let others make them feel like no good deed of theirs was worth a cent, all because of a mistake made in the past… Besides, weren’t you teaching me how to be a bit more upfront and put my foot down? Well, I’m putting my foot down now! I’m letting you have a wish, and that’s that!”

The ex-king gave him a sharp glare, his dark eyes peering into the lad’s blue ones… before he cracked a smirk and began to chuckle. “Not bad. You just might grow a backbone, yet!” He let out a sigh. “But keep the wishes to yourself, alright? I really don’t want to use that stone--- I don’t trust it,”

“I think---“ Ronin began but paused, holding his stomach. “urgh… I think you’re being stub… ohhh…”

“Ronin?” Kamoshida knelt down. “Are you okay? What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

“My stomach just hurts… I think it might be…” The lad froze, gasping. He quickly crossed his legs, and hurried into his old bedroom, bolting into the bathroom.

The master followed, waiting outside the door. There came a groan and a few curses, before after ten long minutes the blonde stepped out; his complexion was pale, and he looked absolutely miserable, holding his stomach.

“What’s the matter? Was it something you ate?” The ex-king asked, and the lad shook his head. “Are you sick? Is it the flu?” The lad shook his head again. “Well, what could it---“

He paused, seeing how his student’s pale cheeks blushed in shame and winced.

“…Oh, _no_.”

~*~

Ronin felt she had been blessed up to this point. In the last couple of months of her menstrual period, it was light and she seldom dealt with any aches, which was a miracle as she had been trying from day one to come off as a male, and the signs of a monthly visitor would have made Kamoshida suspicious, if not given her away completely. She wore dark pants and was thankful rolls of cotton cloths were left in her bathroom, as if Lavenza and Jose could tell she would need them.

Often, it was the only thing that reminded her that she was a woman, and she was thankful that all the oddities of the castle had been enough to deter her of this fact, and in time she dared admit that she nearly convinced herself she was a boy! Most of the credit went to her master, who did not treat her as female, and went along with her charade even after finding out on his own.

But now it seemed as if her biology was tired of being ignored. It was very clear as the blonde hunched over every few steps down the hall, the cramps showing no mercy. Eventually they came across the lounge and she settled on the couch. This explained why she had no appetite and felt fatigue all morning!

She dared not look up at Kamoshida. From what she was taught, it was highly improper for a woman to be going through this cycle in a man’s presence and to never discuss it, unless they were married or related. An exception to the rule was with doctors, in case there was too much blood or the cycle had skipped a month as a sign of pregnancy. She felt embarrassed, having wished she had the sense to claim it was just a tummy ache, but she was a terrible liar (crossdressing and other secrets aside) and he would have figured it out.

…

The ex-king rubbed the back of his neck. He did not have any experience in this field. Oh, he heard plenty of stories--- some men complaining about how hot-tempered or whiny their wives or daughters got, a couple women he had bed with having to go home early because it started, and of course having read about it in books. But this was different!

For one thing, he was still intent on convincing himself that Ronin was a boy, so this felt like something that came out of the blue! Not only that, but he was never taught how to handle situations like this--- no one ever taught him what to do when a young woman’s monthly cycle would start up… especially to a degree where she was in pain!

 _Don’t panic. Just… treat it like she--- he!--- is sick with food poisoning or something._ Kamoshida told himself, and sat down on the other end of the couch. “Is there anything I can get you?” he asked, trying and failing to hide the awkwardness from his voice.

There was a quiet pause, before Ronin answered, “…can you, um, get me a hot-water bottle and towel? It… it will help my stomach,” she--- he!--- replied ever so meekly.

All the master had to do was turn and the items were on the table, the hot-water bottle already nice and warm. Wrapping it in the towel, he handed it to the blonde, watching as his student lied down on it. Before he could ask if he could do anything else, the ‘lad’ began to sob! “R-Ronin, it’s okay…”

“I-It’s not okay! It’s… It’s embarrassing! It’s informal! W-We shouldn’t even be in the same room until it’s over! I…” Ronin then buried her--- his!--- face in a pillow. “…I wish I were actually a man… then neither of us would have to deal with this!”

The ex-king rested a hand on the blonde’s shoulder. “Hey. There’s no need for formalities here, remember? This is… well, it’s natural. No need to feel ashamed--- I’m actually wondering why it’s improper in the first place!” When the ‘lad’ continued to weep, he stood up and knelt down at ‘his’ side, rubbing ‘his’ back in an attempt to soothe his troubled student. “It’s alright, Ronin. Really. For now, just get some rest, and we can figure out what to do later. Okay?”

Ronin nodded, and Kamoshida stood up, lying down on the adjacent couch and rubbing his face. This was new territory for him, he had to admit, and he felt they would _both_ need some rest to deal with this situation.

Neither were prepared for what awaited them when they woke up.


	37. Be Careful What You Wish For!

_The King joined the knights in a mock-battle. He had suggested they have one every so often in order to see how well their training was faring, as well as give new recruits a taste of war. Of course, the real reason was so he could prove to others how strong he was, showing off his skills and not holding back._

_He ended up striking down that lesser knight too hard, the young man knocked unconscious. The tournament was paused as the King knelt by his side, ordering two others to get him to the doctor. It was all an act, of course--- he just wanted to make his subjects believe he cared about the well-being of the scrawny whelp._

_He could see the rebel glaring from the audience, being the only one who saw through his charade._

_The Romani girl was in the audience as well, but she was not even paying attention, an expression of angst on her face._

_He gave no mind to the rebel, and wondered when the Romani girl would finally give in._

_He looked over at her friend, who had started to look sicker with each passing day. The longer the Romani girl denied him, the worse things would get for her companion._

_He turned his focus back on the mock-battle, reliving the glory he had when he was a young warrior._

_Never once did the King consider that he had become the kind of scoundrel his younger self would have slain on the spot._

_~*~_

It was well past sunset when Ronin awoke, feeling unwell.

Actually, ‘unwell’ did not seem to fit. The blonde no longer felt ill or aching.

No, something just felt… off.

Standing up, the student walked into the hall to the nearest bathroom; perhaps a relaxing soak would help.

…

Kamoshida stirred awake a minute after Ronin walked out. Sitting up and stretching, he decided to head to the dining room. It was well past supper time, and considering he nor his student had eaten all day, a hot meal sounded good.

**_“AAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHH!”_ **

The ear-piercing scream made the ex-king jump out of his skin, and he quickly turned and ran in the direction it had come from. “Ronin! RONIN!” He hollered, hearing frantic exclamations coming from the restroom just a few feet away. He tried to run in, only to find (with no surprise) that the door was locked. He pounded his fist on it. “Ronin! Let me in! What’s going on?”

There was a bit of stumbling heard on the other side, before the blonde opened the door, looking as pale as a sheet! “S-S-S-S-Suguru!” Ronin was stammering, shaking like a maraca. “I-I-I… I have… I have a… I-I-I mean I’m a… S-S-Something happened to me!”

“Calm down, calm down! Take deep breaths!”

“I have--- I don’t know—I changed--- I’m so confused---!”

“RONIN.” Kamoshida spoke in a firm tone, kneeling down and gripping his student by the shoulders. “I said _breathe_ … Do what I do. In,” he drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he spoke again. “Out,”

Ronin mimicked his action, the master helping the blonde do some breathing exercises until the trembling ceased, just as he did the night the student had a night-terror. However, he still had a stunned expression even after he calmed down, and the older man had to wonder what in the world—compared to all else his charge had seen in the palace—made the lad so frantic!

“Now… calmly tell me. What happened?”

The student swallowed heavily, suddenly looking embarrassed; he leaned forward, whispering something into the ex-king’s ear.

There was a pregnant pause. Kamoshida could only blink. “…What?”

“E-Exactly what I said! I… I’m… I’m a man now. A-An actual man!”

He was dumbfounded. “Surely, you’re joking!”

“Do you want me to strip down and show you?!”

“There’s no need for that!” The master examined him, now noticing that the [now official] lad had an Adam’s apple… which was bobbing up and down with every nervous gulp. “I have to admit, this is a mystery to me as well! I have as much understanding of it as you have,”

Ronin began to sway. “I-I-I think I’m going to faint,”

“B-Be careful when you do!”

“Why?”

Kamoshida began to sway next. “Because I might just hit the floor before you do,”

*THUD!*

~*~

When the ex-king and blonde had regained consciousness, and confirmed that the new experience was not a bizarre dream, they spent the next twenty minutes trying to think about what could have triggered Ronin’s transformation. It was not until the lad suggested going back to the Velvet Room for council that the answer dawned on the both of them.

“The star!” Kamoshida was the first to exclaim. “Before you fell asleep, you said you wished you were a man! That must be the cause!”

“Oh, dear Lord!” Ronin cried, pulling the star out of his pocket and glaring at it. “Blasted thing! Does it not know when someone is being dramatic?!”

“Okay, okay, hold on. We can ask Jose if that’s really the reason. Chances are, there might be something else going on…” The ex-king noticed an envelope appeared on the table; picking it up he opened it, recognizing the mysterious boy’s signature. “…oh, never mind. He confirms this is it--- and he wants to know why you’re so upset (is he serious?!)”

“Because I didn’t expect to wake up and find I’ve become male!” Ronin let out a heavy sigh, sitting down on the couch and rubbing his face. “…this is most definitely the final irony. For the last several years, I imagined how much easier it would be to be a man. Now that it’s happened… I feel like I’m having a nightmare!”

The older man let out a sigh, sitting down beside him. “To be honest, being a man is no easier than being a woman. Society has both genders restricted to certain things. …A few years ago, I had visited a smaller village and learned there was a young man there who loved sewing, but was ridiculed for it—by girls!”

“What happened to him?”

“I didn’t listen to the whole story… I just know he runs his family’s textile shop. The point I’m trying to make is, there are things men cannot do without being frowned upon. I myself grew up in a very sexist era--- women were to only cook, clean and care for children, and men were to work, hunt, build, or fight. Even my grandmother told me how to behave as a boy! When I started training as a knight, I was even less open-minded, believing that a real warrior never backed down from a fight nor shed a tear; we had no women in our ranks either, for such a thing was unheard of back then. After I became a king, it became stressful, because I could not show any signs of weakness, thinking that if I did someone would deem it easy to take over the kingdom; I was so engrossed in power that I didn’t realize times had changed…

“But I suppose I am not the only one who had been stuck in time. We’re all still victims of sexism… whether it is women being told to be prim and proper, or men feeling they have to be tough. Hell, if one or the other is unmarried, both genders are pressured into settling down and starting families!” He rubbed his face, letting out a sigh. “…I don’t think any of us are given the choices we want--- and are seldom careful with the choices we have. I know I wasn’t--- I let lust make my decisions.”

Ronin rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a breath. “I know… I should have considered that, since I’ve tried to pose as a man… heh, now I actually am one, and I have no idea what to do.”

Kamoshida looked at him a moment, before patting him on the back. “I think the best thing to do is to get something to eat, before we delve into the subject further.” He then gave a grin. “After all, no man thinks clearly on an empty stomach!”

Ronin scoffed at the joke, but gave a shrug. “Ah, what the hell. I haven’t eaten yet today, anyway.”


	38. Thinking Back

Dinner was eaten in an awkward silence; Kamoshida would try to make conversation, but it was clear even the ex-king did not know what to say to distract from Ronin’s change, nor the words to say to help the young man feel at ease. Despite the two of them had slept most of the day, both agreed to retire to their rooms; perhaps the situation would feel less discomforting in the morning.

But Ronin could not bring himself to sleep. As he changed into his night-shirt, he felt it strange that he no longer had to bandage his chest; he had disposed of the layer of cotton he had kept in his trousers an hour ago after the discovery.

He stared at himself in the mirror after taking off the bandages. He still had a thin frame, but it was shaped different--- his abdomen seemed a bit square and flatter in the breasts, and there was a little bit of hair growing between his pectorals. He rubbed his jawline, imagining that if he gave it a couple of days there would be a bit of peach-fuzz; perhaps he would grow a full beard.

The blonde thought back; when he was eight or nine, he once joked about growing a mustache as he got older. It was a queer thing for a young girl to say, and of course Kira chastised him for it and called him names, but her response actually gave him mild delight; perhaps the young girl (when he _was_ one) did not rebel against feminine ways solely because of society’s standards, but perhaps also because she knew it drove Kira insane.

Perhaps, he did it just because he wanted to do whatever he could to keep from being just like his sister. Kira was a model female--- adoring wearing beautiful dresses, having her hair done, putting on makeup and jewelry, and going to a friend’s house for tea-time and gossip. The only way she was not ladylike in public was when telling men off for being too fresh--- despite looking delicate, she could drive her sharp heel into a man’s crotch and make him speak in a soprano voice until the season changed!

Ronin only wished he did so to Sugimura when the arrogant man was trying to subdue the blonde… but it was clear Kira wanted to get out of poverty and live a life of luxury so badly that she was willing to allow her little sister to be abused [by someone else] and defiled.

He wondered what Kira would think if she saw him now. Perhaps faint and believe herself insane, or thinking Ronin was an imposter of sorts. Sugimura would probably believe Kira was trying to trick him in order to get a fortune, accusing the two siblings of being con-artists.

He wondered what Madoka would think. He would probably care less about the change--- he had fallen in love with her, even though most of the summer he thought she was a boy. He was very open-minded; perhaps it was because pirates were known for rebelling against many rules of government, or perhaps his heart was so full of love that all he cared about was having a life-long companion who loved him back.

He wondered what his father would think… and he thought back to the Shadow down in the dungeon. True, it was an apparition made up of his own inner guilt and fear, but seeing anger on his father’s face nonetheless was truly frightening. Of course, any child would be afraid to see their parents furious…

Perhaps Ronin was more afraid that his father would be disappointed.

Pulling on his shirt, the blonde walked out of his bedroom and decided to wander the halls. He would not be able to lie down and rest without his head so full of what-if scenarios. He looked at some of the portraits as he made his way around the castle. Some were of Kamoshida as a young knight or ruthless king, one or two depicting him as a young boy… and then some were of Ronin’s memories.

He passed the one of him and Kira by their father’s grave. He remembered the funeral too well, both of them sobbing, filled with sorrow and afraid of what would become of them. It was a miracle they were not thrown into an orphanage!

Other pictures depicted his older sister bullying him… a few included his father, involving caring for the horses, reading to the two girls at bedtime, splitting up a fight between them… there was one of Ronin and Madoka sitting on the dock fishing, the pirate giving the blonde a kiss on the cheek…

At the end of the wall he stopped. There was a picture of him—as a little girl—rubbing her arm while her father stood there looking cross; in the background there was a dress hanging up, a frilly yellow dress with a blue ribbon around the waist, with puffy sleeves and three buttons lined down below the collar.

He winced at the memory. The little girl was told to dress up for a party; one of her father’s wealthier clients had been so thankful for their father’s help in breeding strong stallions that he invited the family to attend a fancy dinner. However, Ronin refused to wear a dress, ending up throwing a fit when her father would not allow her to wear something ‘not so girly’; she had ripped a hole in the stockings on purpose, and her father had given her a lashing. _“Whether you like it or not, Ronin, there are times when you must act like a young lady, and if you choose to carry on like this you can just stay home!”_ he had scolded.

Back then the blonde thought it unfair, but thinking about it now he realized he had acted like a brat. In fact, there were many times his father had tried to get his youngest daughter to be more open to her feminine side, but she refused practically every time, and after a while he just gave up. Perhaps if she wasn’t so stubborn, maybe things would have been different…

The portrait started to shift into another memory, turning into an image of Ronin and Kira playing with dolls. Playing with dolls was one feminine thing Ronin enjoyed, mainly because they would make up all kinds of stories… but as most older siblings will, Kira would try to control the whole story, Ronin would throw a fit (as many younger siblings would), and their father ended up taking away their dolls claiming that if they could not play nice they would not play at all. It shifted again to Ronin cutting all the dolls’ hair, having discovered scissors, and Kira crying to their father about it; Ronin ended up getting spanked and sent to bed without supper, and Kira kept the rest of the dolls locked in a trunk.

Leaning against the wall, Ronin bit his lip, slumping down as he looked at the pictures. He could imagine his father having that same scolding gaze, a hint of frustration in his eyes… perhaps even being appalled that his ‘little girl’ had changed into a man, and denying him as part of the family.

 _Are you happy, dad? Heaven is supposed to be a place where everyone is happy… but if you see me now and are gravely disappointed… I’m sorry if everything I’ve done has disrupted your peace… please, father, forgive me…_ Ronin thought, tears running down his face as he quietly sniffled. With one hand he covered his face to stifle a sob, his other hand slipping on the floor a bit…

Touching another hand, just around the corner.

Ronin paused, peering around the corner at the same time Kamoshida did.

~*~

A nightmare woke the ex-king as always… not that he had been asleep for long. How could one possibly sleep easily once they found out their student suddenly changed genders?!

He had gone down to the kitchen, but due to having eaten a late meal—as well as still a bit shocked over the wish—he had no appetite. He ended up writing to Jose instead, asking him if the spell was permanent; Jose claimed that Ronin could change back if ‘she’ wanted to, otherwise he did not know if the magic would wear off.

 _‘That’s the thing about magic, huh? There is always something that can undo it, like how curses can be broken, or when a spell ends at midnight. …I’m sorry Ronin is upset. I guess you really have to be careful what you wish for!’_ the note had added, and Kamoshida only shook his head; he hoped one day he could meet the mysterious little boy.

 _If only he were in the castle when I was a king._ The older man thought as he reached the end of a hall, leaning against the wall and sitting down as he looked out the window. If Jose was around to send him letters and just casually talk to him, maybe he would not have been so stressed out…

Hell, if _anyone_ just spoke to him like a friend rather than a monarch, maybe it would have kept the power from going to his head. But he was bound by rules and restrictions--- he could not go down to the tavern and share a few pints of ale with others like he could during his knighthood, as it would be ‘inappropriate’ for a king to socialize informally with commoners. Any villager he approached would either be nervous or elated by his presence, immediately believing he wanted something if not telling him about a problem they needed resolved. Other rulers lived far away, and the only time they conversed was when it came to trades and businesses.

There were plenty of monarchs who were able to be regal and run a kingdom, while still having the modesty to speak to the lower class and care for their subjects as if they were their own bloodline, he was sure. But he had not been one of them, having made the decision that he could take what he wanted, fool everyone into believing he was still a good king despite those he hurt knew the truth…

But those days were over now, he reminded himself. Now he just had to figure out what to do with Ronin…

As he sat on the floor pondering, fingertips touched the edge of his hand, and he peered around to see that his student was once again under some sort of distress.

Without speaking, both of them stood up and went to the lounge, feeling that it would be another late night as they had another long discussion.


	39. A Moment of Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the recent chapter of the story. I decided to stop here, as my muse had run out, though after going over the last chapter I feel a little inspired to continue. There are still some loose ends to work with, and of course pondering where to take the story, as well as figuring out a decent ending. 
> 
> As I said, feedback is welcome, I just request no bashing. Are there any parts you like? Any parts you think could have been better? Anything about this story that makes you question my sanity? And how many cameo references have you noticed?
> 
> I may continue this story in the future, but for now it was just a side-project. I should focus on other stories I have left collecting dust. 
> 
> With that said, enjoy this chapter, and special thanks to those who spared this story a glance.

“…did you ever have any children?” Ronin’s tone was soft and quiet, as the two sat on the rug in front of the fireplace.

“No... not to my knowledge, at least.” Kamoshida answered. He had bed plenty of women, but was never sure if he left any with-child. He certainly hoped not, not exactly fond of the idea of being an estranged father. His mind drifted to Shiho, but he forced that idea out of his mind. “Why do you ask?”

“I was just wondering… if you did have kids, how would you treat them?”

The ex-king arched an eyebrow. He had never thought about having kids at all… even when the council was urging him to produce an heir! “I don’t really know… hopefully better than how I treated my subjects! But why do you bring this up?”

The blonde was resting his chin on his knees, his arms wrapped around his legs; his eyes were staring down on the floor. “I was... thinking about my dad, how he was raising us. He was a very caring father, but I feel like I gave him a difficult time; he would try to get me to wear dresses and be more ladylike, but I always threw a fit about it. He gave up and… I don’t know, maybe he believed I would grow out of it.” He looked over at the fireplace, watching the flames dance. “Do you think he would be angry if he found out I transformed into a man?”

Kamoshida was quiet for a moment before he answered. “Well… I know if I had a daughter who suddenly became a man, I would hit the ground before demanding who hexed them!” he cleared his throat. “But, I have never been a father, so I would not know for certain. Yet if your father was as caring as you say, he would still love you regardless of the shock. And once the astonishment wore off, he would probably be happy to have a son he could bond with, man-to-man.”

Ronin continued to wince. “…I can’t shake the feeling that he would be ashamed,”

The older man sighed. “Ronin… you didn’t choose for it to happen. It was all based on the slip of the tongue! Jose even said you can change back if you wish!” He rested a hand on his shoulder, having the lad look at him. “How many times do I have to tell you? You didn’t do anything wrong, so stop beating yourself up over things that are out of your control. I’m pretty sure your father would understand the circumstances… otherwise, if he lashed out at you over a magical mishap, he would need to get his priorities straight--- take it from an ex-tyrant who wanted things his way and got dethroned by thieves!”

Ronin looked at him, his eyes still misty; his gaze seemed to drift to the ex-king’s arm, right up to the rest of him. He had a look of longing, it seemed, and from the silence it was easy to guess he was having a mental debate.

After a moment, the lad spoke. “Suguru, you said there was no need for formalities here. Were you serious?”

“Hm? Of course I was.” Kamoshida answered, giving his student an inquisitive look.

“Then… and I understand if you decline, but…” Ronin looked up at him. “Will you hold me?”

The question caught the older man off-guard. “Er… hold you? How do you mean?”

“I… um, never mind,”

“No, no, it’s fine.” Kamoshida held out his arms. “It’s perfectly alright. …Really, come on here,”

The lad hesitated a moment, before crawling toward the ex-king before sitting down in front of him and hugging him; strong arms wrapped around him, coaxing him to lean against the broad chest. The embrace was warm and comforting, and as Ronin relaxed so did Kamoshida; the lad kept his head rested against the older man’s shoulder, feeling a hand rubbing up and down his back.

The master paid close attention to his student’s reactions. He had never really held anyone so tenderly before; the only thing that came close was when he would sleep with a woman and she would rest her head on his chest, his arm around her shoulders, but this was a completely different matter altogether. For one thing, he never regarded Ronin as a woman, and had no physical attraction to the blonde.

Sure, he had held Ronin a few times; often he was carrying the lad somewhere, and there was that moment a few nights ago where his student comforted him after a night-terror. Now here he was, comforting the blonde in return… and he came to realize that he had never really comforted anyone like this before.

His grandmother didn’t exactly sit him on her lap or give him warm hugs—the most he got was a pat on the head or a ‘there, there’ whenever he got hurt. Considering she put him to work at such a young age, it was clear she was not the kind to coddle her children. He then wondered what his own parents were like. His grandmother had explained that she had taken care of him since he was two, but always told a different story as to why: both of his parents were dead; only his father died and his mother imprisoned for prostitution; or only his mother died and his father was a drunkard who abandoned him… It wasn’t until he got older that he wondered if the old woman hadn’t just kidnapped him and raised him to be her employee.

Knights after battle would offer one another some sort of relief as well, but that was done with pats on the back and uplifting words and jokes—no one could really hold anyone with broken bones or stitches. But when they saw their loved ones, they were given plenty of affection. He could only wonder what it felt like…

A warm sigh interrupted his thoughts, and the ex-king tilted his head downward to look at the lad in his arms. Ronin still felt so small, and still reminded him of a child despite the change. “Thank you, Suguru…” the student whispered, though did not let go.

The older man smiled softly, holding the younger man a little tighter, resting his chin atop his head. “You’re welcome… any specific reason you wanted me to hold you so badly, though?”

“Because… I really wanted you to hold me… I wanted to feel safe,”

 _Safe?_ Kamoshida questioned. He had doubts anyone felt safe with him in years. Then again, Ronin had gone through one shock too many, and God knows what sort of nightmares would appear once he went to sleep! Plus, he did say there was no need for any formalities, and he did not want the lad to feel like he caused the ex-king a great deal of discomfort.

It actually felt like the opposite.

Holding the blonde against him, feeling the lad so-small in his arms rest against him at ease, the student feeling secure in his master’s embrace… it made Kamoshida look at Ronin in a different light as he held him, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around his thin frame as if to keep him safe from anything else that dared cause him torment.

“Would you like to sleep down here, tonight?” The ex-king asked, continuing to rub the lad’s back. “We can read more stories until we fall asleep, if you would like,”

“That sounds good,” Ronin murmured. “But, rather than reading… will you tell me a story? Maybe about your days as a knight,”

Kamoshida arched an eyebrow. “Why would you want to hear about that?”

“It just sounds interesting… Knights have all kinds of adventures, don’t they? What was it like?”

The master let out a sigh. “It was a long time ago, and I didn’t exactly have any ‘adventures’. I had to train for ten years before becoming a knight, and then had to perform rigorous drills once I achieved my status. I had fought in many battles, doing what I could to stand my ground and keep strong, even when situations felt hopeless. I once saved a general’s life doing so, and that’s how I got my medal… people considered me a hero, and the king before me hired me as a bodyguard, eventually proclaiming me as his heir since he never bore any children. ...You know how the rest turned out,”

“Enough of that… tell me about the places you travelled to and the people you knew. What was your most thrilling battle? Did you ever fall in love?”

“Ha ha, when did you become so inquisitive?” He thought for a moment. “Well, to answer your questions… We once had to partake in a battle on the coast, near the kingdom of Iwatodai; we set up base in the Gekkoukan village. The battle lasted for three days straight, before finally a truce was reached between the kingdoms. We passed through the Inaba village on our way back, staying there for a few days to recuperate; I met a woman who was a teacher there… I was very young at the time, and I thought it was love--- but after I saw her flirting with other men, I realized I had been used. From that point on, I just focused on being a knight; I only pursued women as a hobby, but never let things get serious.”

“I’m sorry to hear that…”

The ex-king shrugged. “Heh, it’s fine. I don’t think I would have been the type to settle down, anyway. On the bright side, I did get to see some beautiful places; the Gekkoukan village was near the ocean, with a bridge that crossed over the bay, and the Inaba village had some lovely hot springs and was close to the mountains. I met quite a few people, though I can’t quite remember all of them. The only one I can recall is a knight from one of the villages, who wore a red cloak and seldom wore a shirt when training.”

“I’d like to go to the Gekkoukan village, if it’s by the sea…” Ronin’s voice was beginning to drift off, still leaning against him. “I’ve always wanted to live by the sea… and sail to faraway places…” He heard his master chuckle, his chest rumbling. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, you just sound really tired. Why don’t you lie down and get some sleep now?”

“Yes, sir…” But Ronin did not get up, having drifted off in the older man’s arms.

Kamoshida shook his head, though did not get up either. He would wait perhaps ten minutes or so, before moving the lad to the couch… just to make sure he did not disturb his much-needed sleep.

“Well, isn’t this a cute sight.” Came a voice, as Morgana walked over. The ‘cat’ sat down in front of them. “You two didn’t drink any more wine while I wasn’t around, did you?”

“Shut up, hairball. He just fell asleep,” The ex-king retorted in a hiss, rubbing his student’s back when the blonde stirred.

Morgana cocked his head. “Are you going to keep referring to Ronin as a boy forever? You know, sooner or later both of you will have to accept the facts,”

Kamoshida gave him a deadpanned look. “If you were here earlier, you would realize that Ronin is now completely male. Something about this Jose kid granting his wish,”

“Mew! Jose is here? I haven’t seen that kid in a while…”

“You know him??”

“Heh heh, well… I heard stories about him from Mona. Don’t worry, the lad is very sweet as well as curious--- however, I would not recommend challenging him to a battle, unless you are well prepared!”

“I’ll take your word for it… ‘Mona’.”

“Tch, my name is _Morgana_ , you ass.”

The ex-king rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Just pipe down, Ronin needs his sleep,”

The ‘cat’ lied down beside them. “…You’re really getting attached to this kid, aren’t you?” he spoke in a soft tone. “What’s changed?”

The older man let out a quiet breath, now cradling the lad in his lap. “I can’t really say… but I’m not sure it would be safe. I’m always afraid that I might go back to my old ways… yet somehow, he always helps me forget about the past. He actually wants to help me overcome it so I can be free!”

“Then don’t worry about it. If you care about Ronin, then there’s no way you’ll do something stupid that would hurt him. Plus, you did say you were returning to your ‘true self’… I think he just helps you remember who you really are,”

Kamoshida smirked. “How did you know I said that?”

“…I read the book,” With a yawn, Morgana curled up and drifted off next, letting out a soft purr as he felt a hand stroke his back.


End file.
